3.1 Danger Warning Signs: Yellow Diamonds, Black Symbols, and Railway Crossings
Key Takeaways
Sri Lankan warning signs are yellow diamonds with a black border and black symbol (DWS-01 to DWS-49); the warning-sign colours are black on yellow.
Warning signs come in 400 mm, 600 mm and 900 mm sizes, and yellow additional panels may show the distance to the hazard or its length.
DWS-36 (gate symbol) warns of a level crossing protected by gates; DWS-37 (steam locomotive) warns of an unprotected level crossing.
DWS-23 Stop Ahead and DWS-24 Give Way Ahead warn of a STOP or GIVE WAY sign further on; DWS-25 warns of a roundabout, where traffic moves clockwise.
Section 148A forbids crossing a railway when the gate is closed or against signals, with a first-offence fine of Rs. 25,000 to Rs. 30,000.
3.1 Danger Warning Signs: Yellow Diamonds, Black Symbols, and Railway Crossings
Road signs are the largest single block of the Department of Motor Traffic (DMT) written paper, and the official DMT sample paper opens with dozens of sign-recognition questions. Every sign you will be asked about comes from one legal source: the Motor Traffic (Signs, Signals, Symbols and Road Markings) Regulations No. 02 of 2015, made under sections 164 and 237 of the Motor Traffic Act (Chapter 203) and published in Gazette Extraordinary No. 1940/21 of 12 November 2015. Those regulations replaced the 1987 sign regulations and follow the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals, but Sri Lanka chose its own colour scheme for warning signs. If you study from foreign material you will learn the wrong shape.
1. How Sri Lanka Classifies Traffic Signs
Regulation 4 divides traffic signs into three families, each with its own schedule:
| Family (Schedule) | Purpose | Typical appearance in Sri Lanka |
|---|---|---|
| Danger Warning Signs (Schedule I, codes DWS-01 to DWS-51) | Warn of a hazard ahead | Yellow diamond with a black border and black symbol |
| Regulatory Signs (Schedule II) | Prohibit, restrict, command, or allocate priority | Mostly circles with a red border; STOP is an octagon and GIVE WAY an inverted triangle |
| Informative Signs (Schedule III) | Give directions and information | Rectangles; green for national highways, blue for expressways and facilities |
Regulatory signs are further split into prohibitory, restrictive, mandatory and priority signs (regulation 8). Sections 3.2 and 3.3 cover them. This section covers the warning family.
Important
The DMT sample paper asks directly: "In the Highway Code, the warning signs are shown in which colours?" The correct answer is black on a yellow background. Red-bordered white triangles are the European style and are not the Sri Lankan warning sign.
2. The Shape and Colour Rule for Warning Signs
The table at the end of Schedule I describes DWS-01 to DWS-49 as a "square with one diagonal vertical", which means a square stood on its corner: a diamond. Each has:
- a yellow background;
- a black border; and
- a black symbol showing the hazard.
Signs come in three sizes: 400 mm for narrow streets and low-speed built-up areas, 600 mm for other roads, and 900 mm for expressways and similar highways. Under regulation 7, the authority may fix a yellow additional panel (APD-01) below the sign giving the distance to the hazard, or a panel (APD-02) giving the length of the dangerous section. A warning sign can also be repeated where the hazard is serious, with a distance panel on each repeat.
Warning signs do not themselves create an offence, but they tell you that the law's general duties apply with extra force: section 149 makes it every driver's duty to take whatever action is necessary to avoid an accident, and section 151(2)–(3) punishes dangerous or negligent driving. When you see a yellow diamond, ease off, check your mirrors and choose a speed and position that suit the hazard.
3. Warning Signs You Must Recognise
The DMT sample paper shows the symbol and offers four similar-sounding meanings, so learn the exact names in the schedule.
Bends and road width
- DWS-01 / DWS-02 Left Bend Ahead / Right Bend Ahead: a single curved arrow.
- DWS-03 / DWS-04 Double Bend to Left / Right: an S-shaped arrow; the first bend is in the direction of the lower curve.
- DWS-05 / DWS-06 Hair Pin Bend to Right / Left: a U-shaped arrow. The sample paper sets this against "U-turn permitted ahead", which is wrong: it is a hairpin bend.
- DWS-07 Dual Carriage-way Ends and DWS-08 Dual Carriage-way Ahead.
- DWS-09 Road Narrows Ahead, and DWS-10 / DWS-11 Road Narrows on the Left / Right.
- DWS-21 Narrow Bridge or Culvert.
Junctions and traffic control ahead
- DWS-12 Cross Roads Ahead, DWS-13 / DWS-14 Staggered Junction, DWS-15 'T' Junction Ahead, DWS-16 'Y' Junction Ahead.
- DWS-17 / DWS-19 Traffic From Left / Right Merges and DWS-18 / DWS-20 Side Road From Left / Right. The merging symbol shows a branch joining at an angle; the side-road symbol shows a branch at a right angle.
- DWS-23 Stop Ahead (a STOP shape inside the diamond) and DWS-24 Give Way Ahead (an inverted triangle inside the diamond). These warn you before you reach the actual STOP or GIVE WAY sign.
- DWS-25 Roundabout Ahead: circular arrows inside the diamond. Traffic in Sri Lanka keeps left, so roundabout traffic circulates clockwise.
- DWS-26 Light Signals Ahead: the only warning sign with colour inside the symbol (red, amber and green circles).
- DWS-22 Two-way Traffic Ahead: you are leaving a one-way section or a section where opposing traffic was separated.
Surface, gradient and terrain
- DWS-27 Dangerous Descent and DWS-28 Dangerous Ascent.
- DWS-29 Slippery Road Ahead, DWS-30 Loose Aggregate, DWS-31 Falling Rocks Ahead.
- DWS-43 Dangerous Side Slopes, DWS-44 Road Hump Ahead, DWS-45 Uneven Road Ahead, DWS-46 Dip or Causeway, DWS-47 Hump Bridge Ahead, DWS-48 Tunnel Ahead, DWS-42 Road Ahead on a Quay (a road beside water).
People, animals and lanes
- DWS-32 Pedestrian Crossing ahead. This is the yellow warning sign; the sign at the crossing itself is the blue OSD-01 informative sign (section 4.1).
- DWS-33 Children Present / Crossing Ahead: a school or playground is nearby and children are often on or crossing the road; it may carry the school additional panel APD-04.
- DWS-34 Blind People Crossing, DWS-40 Cyclist Crossing Ahead, DWS-41 Cattle Crossing Ahead (cattle or other animals may cross or be on the road).
- DWS-38 Bus Lane Ahead and DWS-39 Cycle Lane Ahead.
- DWS-35 Road Work Ahead, DWS-49 Low Flying Aircraft.
4. Railway Level Crossings: The Most Tested Warning Group
Sri Lanka uses two different diamond symbols and a separate red-and-white cross sign:
| Sign | What it shows | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| DWS-36 Level Crossing with Gates Ahead | A gate or fence symbol | A railway crossing protected by gates is ahead |
| DWS-37 Unprotected Level Crossing Ahead | A steam locomotive | A crossing with no gates is ahead; you must look and listen yourself |
| DWS-50 Railway Level Crossing Ahead | A white St Andrew's cross with a red border | A railway level crossing is ahead |
| DWS-51 Railway Level Crossing Comprising Two or More Tracks Ahead | The same cross with an extra V-shaped arm beneath it | The crossing ahead has two or more tracks |
At an unprotected crossing the regulations also allow a pair of alternately flashing red lights (regulation 35); while they flash you must not proceed beyond them. Section 148A of the Act makes it an offence to drive onto a crossing when the gate is closed, against the railway signals, or against an authorised officer's directions, with a first-offence fine of Rs. 25,000 to Rs. 30,000 and licence suspension for repeat offences.
DWS-36 (gate symbol) DWS-37 (locomotive) DWS-50 / DWS-51
Gated crossing ahead Unprotected crossing ahead Red-bordered St Andrew's cross
5. Exam Technique for Warning-Sign Questions
- Check the shape and colour first. A yellow diamond is always a warning. A red-ringed circle is a regulatory order. A blue rectangle is information.
- Read "ahead" carefully. Most warning meanings in the schedule end with "ahead": "Give Way Ahead" warns of a GIVE WAY sign further on.
- Separate look-alikes. Hairpin bend versus U-turn; merging traffic versus side road; road narrows on one side versus both sides; gated versus unprotected crossing.
- Link the sign to an action. For a descent, choose a low gear before the slope. For children or a pedestrian crossing, slow down and be ready to stop. For an unprotected crossing, slow down, look both ways and listen.
According to Schedule I of the 2015 signs regulations, what do Sri Lankan danger warning signs look like?
A white triangle with a red border and a black symbol inside
A blue circle with a white symbol and a white border
A yellow diamond with a black border and a black symbol
A red octagon with white lettering and a white border
You see a yellow diamond warning sign showing a steam locomotive. What does it mean?
An unprotected railway level crossing (no gates) ahead
A level crossing protected by gates or barriers ahead
A railway station ahead where parking is prohibited
A crossing where trains have priority only during daylight hours
A yellow diamond sign contains an inverted triangle. What does it tell you?
You have priority over traffic at the next junction
Give way to oncoming traffic at the narrow bridge ahead
The road ahead narrows on both sides for a short distance
A GIVE WAY sign and give-way line are ahead, at a junction with a major road
Sections you finish are checked off in the contents.