2.1 Warning Signs

2.1 Warning Signs

Quick Answer: In the Ghana Highway Code, warning signs are triangular with a red border, a white background, a black symbol, and the apex (point) facing upward. They do not give orders — they warn you of a hazard ahead so you can slow down, prepare to stop, or take extra care before you reach it.

The Shape-and-Colour Coding System

Road signs and signals are the largest single block of Ghana Highway Code material the DVLA draws its questions from — the Authority publishes no official domain weighting, but expect signs to appear repeatedly across the 30 questions. The single highest-yield idea is this: the shape and colour of a sign tell you its category before you can even read the symbol. Learn the code and you can answer many questions even about signs you have never studied one by one.

• Triangle, red border, white background, point up → warning sign: danger or hazard ahead.
• Circle, red border → prohibitory sign: you must not do something.
• Circle, blue background → mandatory sign: you must do something.
• Rectangle or square, usually blue or green → informatory sign: directions, places, facilities.

Warning signs stand well before the hazard so a driver at the legal speed has time to react. The red border attracts the eye, and the white background with a black pictogram stays readable in bright sun, rain, or harmattan dust.

A warning sign is advisory, not a command — but on the DVLA exam the correct driver response is almost always the same family of actions: reduce speed, check your mirrors, increase your following distance, and be ready to stop. Never treat one as permission to continue at full speed.

The Common Warning Signs

Bends and Double Bends

A bend sign shows a single black curve opening to the left or right, matching the direction the road turns first. The double bend sign shows a zigzag (S-shape); read it from the bottom upward — the lower curve is the first bend you will meet. Response: slow down before the bend, not inside it. Braking mid-corner on a highway like the Accra–Kumasi road causes skids; keep to your lane and never overtake near a bend.

Junctions and Roundabouts

• Crossroads ahead: a black plus (+) symbol. Two roads cross your path; expect traffic from both sides and be ready to give way.
• T-junction ahead: a T shape. A side road joins the main road. If you are on the side road, you will have to give way or stop where it ends.
• Staggered junction: two offset T-shapes. Two side roads join close together but not opposite each other, so vehicles may cross your path in two separate movements.
• Roundabout ahead: three black arrows chasing each other in a circle. Slow down and prepare to give way to traffic already circulating — in Ghana it approaches from your left, since traffic keeps right and roundabouts run anticlockwise.

People on the Road

• Pedestrian crossing ahead: a black silhouette of a person walking on stripes. Slow down and prepare to stop; pedestrians already on the crossing have priority.
• Children / school ahead: silhouettes of two children, one taller and one smaller. These appear near basic schools in every district. Expect sudden, unpredictable movement — children may run into the road — and remember that school and hospital zones carry a reduced 30 km/h limit.

Gradient and Road Surface

• Steep hill downwards / upwards: a black slope with a gradient such as 10% marked beside it; the slope falls in the direction of travel for a descent. On long descents like the Aburi hills road, engage a low gear and let the engine brake the vehicle — riding the footbrake down overheats it and can cause brake failure.
• Slippery road: a car with wavy skid marks behind it. Reduce speed smoothly and avoid sudden braking, steering, or acceleration. This is most dangerous during the first rain after a long dry spell, when oil and dust make tarred surfaces greasy.
• Uneven road: two black humps. Slow down to keep control and protect your suspension; it is also used before speed ramps and broken surfaces.

Traffic Flow and Environment

• Road narrows: black lines pinching inward on both sides, or on the left or right only. Merge early and do not overtake through the narrow section.
• Two-way traffic ahead: two opposing vertical arrows. You are leaving a dual carriageway or one-way section, so expect oncoming vehicles in the lane beside you.
• Traffic signals ahead: a traffic-light symbol, used where the lights are hidden by a bend or a hill crest.
• Animals: a cow or similar silhouette. Cattle, goats, and sheep crossing are a daily reality on roads through the Northern and Savannah regions, especially at dawn and dusk. Slow down and pass gently — hooting makes panicked animals unpredictable.
• Falling rocks: stones tumbling from a slope, seen on mountainous stretches. Watch the road edge as well as the road ahead.
• Low-flying aircraft: an aeroplane symbol near airfields such as Kotoka International Airport. The sudden noise may startle you — do not brake sharply; stay calm and keep both hands on the wheel.