2.1 Sign Shapes, Colours and Legal Force
Key Takeaways
Under regulation 101 a 'traffic sign' includes any line, stud or mark on the road as well as signs on posts.
Failing to comply with the indication of a lawfully placed sign is an offence (reg. 103), and a sign is presumed lawful unless the contrary is proved.
Triangles warn of hazards; circles give orders: red rings and red discs prohibit, blue circles give positive instructions.
STOP is a red octagon and GIVE WAY is an inverted triangle, so both can be recognised by shape alone.
Temporary signs for diversions, works and obstructions are rectangular, with square, rounded or pointed ends (reg. 104).
Signs are the largest single topic on most learner theory tests, and Barbados is no exception. You need two layers of knowledge: the system (shape and colour tell you the type of message before you can read it) and the individual signs in the official schedule. This section covers the system and the law that gives signs their force.
Where Barbados signs come from
Part XII of the Road Traffic Regulations, 1984 governs traffic signs and light signals.
- Definition (reg. 101(1)). A "traffic sign" is "any object or device (whether fixed or portable)" that conveys "any warning, information, requirement, restriction or prohibition," and it includes any line, stud or mark on a road. Road markings are therefore traffic signs in law.
- Official designs (reg. 101(2)). Signs must be of the colour and type shown in the diagrams of the Ninth Schedule, unless the Chief Technical Officer authorises a different sign. The schedule follows the British pattern used across the Commonwealth Caribbean.
- Police signs (reg. 102). The Commissioner of Police or a police officer may place signs on a road to deal with extraordinary circumstances. Failing to comply with them is an offence.
The offence of ignoring a sign
Regulation 103 makes it an offence to drive or propel a vehicle past a lawfully placed sign and fail to comply with it, or to fail to stop or keep to a line of traffic when a police officer regulating traffic directs you. A sign on or near a road is presumed to be of the prescribed type and lawfully placed unless the contrary is proved (reg. 103(3)).
Note
That presumption answers a classic test question: an older-style STOP sign that is still standing must be obeyed. Do not argue with a sign at the roadside.
Ignoring certain signs also carries demerit points: failing to obey a stop sign or a light signal is in the 4-point group of the Sixth Schedule to the Act.
The shape and colour system
| Shape and colour | Message type | Examples from the Ninth Schedule |
|---|---|---|
| Triangle, point up, red border | Warning of a hazard ahead | Bend, cross roads, roundabout, children, traffic signals ahead |
| Red octagon, white "STOP" | Stop before the line | STOP |
| Inverted triangle, red border | Give way, or an advance warning of a STOP sign when shown with a "STOP" distance plate | GIVE WAY; advance warning of STOP with a plate such as "STOP 75 m" |
| Circle with a red ring, or a red disc | Prohibition: a negative order | No entry, no left turn, no U turns, no overtaking, weight limit, speed limit |
| Blue circle with white symbol | Mandatory: a positive order | Keep left, ahead only, turn left ahead, pass either side |
| Rectangle | Information or direction | One-way traffic, ONE WAY street, entrance to controlled parking ("Meter ZONE") |
| Rectangle with square, rounded or pointed ends | Temporary sign | Diversions, road works, obstructions (reg. 104) |
A simple way to remember it: triangles warn, circles command, rectangles inform. Within the circles, red says "don't" and blue says "do". Barbados test papers phrase this as "red circles give negative orders" and "blue circles give positive orders and commands."
Why STOP and GIVE WAY break the pattern
The two most important priority signs have unique shapes so that you can recognise them from a distance, at night, in heavy rain, or from behind:
- STOP is an eight-sided red sign. You must stop at the stop line (or at the junction if there is no line), then give way to traffic on the major road and proceed only when it is safe.
- GIVE WAY is an inverted triangle with the words GIVE WAY. You must give way to traffic on the major road, stopping if necessary, but you need not stop if the way is clear.
The Ninth Schedule also contains an advance warning of a STOP sign: the inverted triangle with a plate reading "STOP" and a distance, such as 75 m. It tells you that a STOP sign is coming and that you should be ready to stop.
Plates under signs
A rectangular plate under a sign adds information, such as the distance to a hazard, its length, or the times a restriction applies. Read the plate as part of the sign: "STOP 75 m" changes a give-way-shaped sign into a warning that a STOP junction is 75 metres ahead.
How to use signs while driving
- Scan far ahead. Signs are placed to give you time. A warning triangle means check your mirrors and adjust your speed and position now.
- Classify by shape first, then read the symbol or words.
- Obey orders immediately, even if the road looks clear. A prohibition still applies when no other traffic is present.
- Expect a sign's effect to continue until another sign ends it. For example, a speed limit runs until an "end of speed limit" sign or a different limit sign.
What do circular traffic signs generally do?
Show tourist information
Give warnings
Give orders
Give directions to places
What is the difference between a red-ringed circular sign and a blue circular sign?
The red ring is advisory; the blue circle is temporary
The red ring prohibits an action; the blue circle orders one
Both are warnings, but the blue circle is for highways
The red ring orders an action; the blue circle prohibits one
At a junction you see an older-design STOP sign that differs slightly from newer ones. What should you do?
Obey it only when traffic is on the main road
Treat it as advisory because the design is out of date
Obey it only if a solid stop line is also painted
Obey it, because signs are presumed lawfully placed
Sections you finish are checked off in the contents.