9.3 Traffic Signs: Colors, Shapes, Categories & Railroad Crossings
Key Takeaways
In Massachusetts sign colors, red means stop or prohibition, yellow is a general warning, orange is construction, fluorescent pink is incident management and purple is electronic tolling.
Fluorescent yellow-green signs in Massachusetts mark school zones, bicycle and pedestrian crossings and curve warnings.
Massachusetts numbered state routes are posted on white rectangular signs with black letters and borders; interstate routes use blue, red and white shields.
When railroad crossing lights flash, Massachusetts drivers must stop at least 15 feet before the light post or gate and stay stopped until the gate rises and the lights stop.
At a Massachusetts four-way stop, the first vehicle into the intersection has the right-of-way.
Signs control traffic, warn of hazards, guide drivers and announce services. On the PDI exam, sign questions usually test what a color or shape means and what the driver must do.
Sign Colors
| Color | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Red | Stop or prohibition |
| Green | Direction: where you can go |
| Yellow | General warning |
| Black/white | Regulation |
| Blue | Motorist services (gas, food, lodging) and evacuation routes |
| Brown | Recreational, historic or scenic sites |
| Orange | Construction or maintenance warning |
| Fluorescent yellow-green | School zone, bicycle, pedestrian and curve warnings |
| Fluorescent pink | Incident management |
| Purple | Electronic toll collection |
Tip
Questions often test the newer colors: fluorescent pink marks traffic incidents, purple marks electronic tolling (E-ZPass-only lanes), and fluorescent yellow-green is used for school, pedestrian, bicycle and curve warnings.
Sign Shapes
The Manual tells drivers to know signs by their appearance so they can recognize them from a distance. It shows these standard shapes:
| Shape | Sign type |
|---|---|
| Octagon (8 sides) | Stop |
| Downward-pointing triangle | Yield |
| Pennant (sideways triangle) | No Passing Zone |
| Pentagon (5 sides, pointed top) | School zone and school crossing |
| Diamond | Warning |
| Circle | Railroad crossing advance warning |
| Vertical rectangle | Regulation |
| Horizontal rectangle | Guide and information |
| Shield | Interstate highway route marker |
Stop and Yield Signs
- A STOP sign always means come to a complete halt, and it applies to each vehicle that reaches it. Stop before any crosswalk or stop line. Then yield to pedestrians and vehicles and go carefully. Slowing down is not enough.
- With a 4-WAY or ALL WAY plate, all traffic must stop, and the first vehicle in the intersection has the right-of-way. Section 11.3 gives the tie-breaker rule for vehicles that arrive together.
- A YIELD sign means slow down and be prepared to stop. Let vehicles, bicyclists and pedestrians go first, and stop completely if traffic requires it.
Regulatory, Warning and Guide Signs
| Category | Appearance | Purpose and examples |
|---|---|---|
| Regulatory | Red or white background; words, images or both. A red circle with a diagonal slash means something is prohibited | Traffic laws: SPEED LIMIT (words only), NO U-TURN (image only), no trucks, no pedestrians, no bicycles, no parking during posted hours, one-way, do not pass, no right turn on red, keep right of the median |
| Warning | Yellow or fluorescent yellow-green | Hazards or changes ahead: school zone and crossing, playground, lane merging, divided highway begins or ends, winding road, curves, crossroad, stop ahead, signal ahead, right lane ends, slippery when wet, deer crossing, railroad crossing, maximum height, added lane, two-way traffic. Slow down and obey the sign |
| Guide | Green for directions, blue for services, brown for recreation | Route markers, destination and distance signs, exit notices, mile markers, rest areas, parking, hospital and lodging symbols, Bay State Greenway and bike routes, electronic-tolling-only signs |
Massachusetts route markers
- Numbered state highway routes are posted on white, rectangular signs with black letters and borders.
- Interstate highway signs are blue, red and white shields.
Railroad Crossings
| Device | What it means and what to do |
|---|---|
| Round advance warning sign (usually placed before the crossing) | Slow down and prepare to stop. If you see or hear a train, don't speed up to beat it |
| White crossbuck at the crossing itself | Marks where the tracks cross the road. If there is more than one track, the number of tracks is posted below it |
| Red flashing lights, bell and red-and-white striped gate | When the lights start flashing, stop at least 15 feet before the light post or gate, and stay stopped until the gate rises and the lights stop flashing |
Never drive around a lowered gate or ignore flashing lights, even if you don't see a train. Failing to stop is a violation with a heavy fine.
The crossbuck or a nearby metal box also shows an Emergency Notification System (ENS) phone number and the DOT grade crossing number. Section 14.3 explains how to use them if a vehicle stalls on the tracks.
Sign and Railroad Drills
- Sign recognition drills. Ride as a passenger and have the student name each sign's color category and the required action before it can be read.
- Rolling stops. Many students treat STOP signs like YIELD signs. Require a full stop at the line, then a second creep-forward stop to look if the view is blocked.
- Railroad discipline. Teach "15 feet back, wait for the gate to rise and the lights to stop," and never stop on the tracks in queued traffic.
What does a fluorescent pink sign indicate under the Manual's color code?
Construction or maintenance work
School zones and pedestrian crossings
Incident management
Electronic toll collection
Railroad crossing lights begin flashing as a driver approaches. Where must the driver stop, and for how long?
At the crossbuck, then go around the gate once the train is out of sight
At least 15 feet back, until the gate rises and lights stop
At least 5 feet before the nearest rail
At least 50 feet before the crossbuck, until no train can be heard
How are numbered Massachusetts state highway routes posted?
On green rectangular signs with white letters and a white border
On blue, red and white shields
On brown signs with white symbols
On white rectangular signs with black letters and borders
Sections you finish are checked off in the contents.