The roads we use every day are peppered with signage and, for the most part, people readily recognize what they mean. In general, road signs are designed to be clear, concise, and easily visible to motorists. One of the main factors behind providing clarity is the use of color and each road sign color has specific meanings attached to it. Over time, these road signs–with specific colors and shapes–have become standardized. Here’s what each of those colors means and why they’re used for specific road signs.
Find the sign you needRed signs most often mean “stop,” and they’re commonly used at intersections. They let drivers know to slow down and stop long enough to make sure any potential hazards are clear before moving on through crosswalks or intersections.
Signs that use red include:
STOP signs
YIELD signs
WRONG WAY or DO NOT ENTER signs
Most common locations:
Road intersections
Yellow signs convey general warnings or caution. As opposed to orange signs, which are used temporarily, yellow appears on signs meant to warn motorists of permanent hazards. The reason for this is because yellow is highly visible, even at night.
Stop signs used to be yellow back before reflective signage made red a viable option for nighttime visibility. Yield signs can still be found which use this color as well.
Today, signs that use yellow include:
Pedestrian and bicycle traffic signs
Animal crossing signs
DEAD END signs
Truck rollover signs
Turns and traffic direction signs
Most common locations:
Road intersections
Crosswalks
Sharp turns
Areas with wildlife
Other hazardous areas
Unlike a yellow sign meaning, which indicates a permanent hazard or warning, orange signs are used for temporary cautions like construction and road maintenance zones. The bright orange color alerts drivers to hazards and road conditions in construction areas along highways and streets.
Signs that use orange include:
RIGHT LANE CLOSED signs
ROAD CLOSED signs
UTILITY WORK AHEAD signs
BE PREPARED TO STOP signs
Most common locations:
Construction zones
Road maintenance zones
The warmer colors described above are used for signs that immediately influence driver actions. Neutral colors, such as green and blue, are used for less pressing information that is nevertheless useful to drivers.
Green signs, for instance, are often used for signs that give directions, such as the large rectangular signs over highways that provide exit and entrance details, directions, and distances.
Signs that use green typically include:
Mile marker signs
EXIT signs
Loop/Spur signs
Most common locations:
Another common sight along highways are the blue signs that list services such as hotels, restaurants, rest stops, gas stations, and so on. These signs are valuable for motorists who spend lots of time on the road, including truck drivers who spend most of their time far from home in unfamiliar states.
Signs that include blue:
Road user service signs
Interstate route signs
Most common locations:
Highways
Similar to blue motorist service signs, brown signs list places of interest to travelers and tourists, such as landmarks, historical sites, museums, parks, recreation areas, and other points of cultural interest. These are found along highways where they are easily visible to traveling drivers but aren’t so bold in color as to distract from more important signage.
Brown signs include:
Tourist attractions signs
Public forest or park signage
Most common locations:
Highways
White signs with black lettering indicate enforceable laws and regulations. They are meant to be informative above all else, whether that’s advising drivers on the speed limit or giving notice on local ordinances.
A few of the signs that use white include:
Speed limit signs
Railroad crossing signs
NO TURN ON RED signs
NO HITCHHIKING signs
Most common locations:
Highways
Local roads
Crossings and intersections
Just about everywhere
Certain colors are used for specific types of road signs and there are reasons for that. Here are the 3 main goals of using specific colors on road signs:
Aside from the standardized meaning attached to each sign color, there’s a great deal of value in consistency. Having a standard format means drivers traveling across cities and states know exactly what road signs mean anywhere they go. A stop sign is immediately recognizable to anyone, and motorists will know exactly how to respond to it whenever they see it.
Ultimately, consistent sign colors eliminate confusion and improve roadway safety.
Another key factor in the reasons behind road sign colors is visibility. Warm colors, such as red, yellow, and orange, are highly visible from a distance. They don’t blend into the scenery, and they’re easy to recognize.
Other sign colors with less important information become secondary to the brighter colored signs that are meant to communicate the need for an immediate response from motorists. It’s a matter of prioritization that’s quickly and easily established by using the right colors.
When it comes down to it, road signs are a means for communication. They achieve clear communication with drivers through both high visibility and clear consistency. Road signs act almost like a language in that sense.
If drivers all speak the same “language” conveyed through road signs, there’s no misunderstanding in terms of what you want to communicate to them. Coloration is part of that language.
Of course, colors are only one part of how signs are designed. Shape and size are also important, and together with color, their meanings are consistent and clear.
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