The Federal Highway Administration specifies colors and shapes. They and national standards, which means they are the same in all states.
Most states find shapes and colors important enough to be included in the driver’s manuals or driver handbooks. If you find them in your manual, you can also expect questions about them on the driver’s license exam.
This, of course, is one reason for you to study both shapes and colors. But shapes and colors are also a great help when driving and looking for specific information later in life.
Let’s say you are driving on an interstate and have been behind the wheel longer than you should. You desperately want to find a rest area.
By scanning the road far ahead and looking for blue road signs, you can be prepared and keep in the right lane when a rest area appears – instead of finding yourself in the left lane overtaking a large truck when you get there.
Or if you are running out of gas. Look for blue signs ahead; they all indicate motorist services. If it isn’t a sign indicating a rest area, it is probably a sign that guides you to restaurants, gas stations, or lodging.
Orange signs ahead warn you of a work zone. Limiting distractions well ahead of the work zone allows you to be more alert to changing traffic patterns and workers.
Green signs guide you to different destinations. If you are driving on unfamiliar roads, stay in the right lane until you can read the information on the guide signs.
The above are just some examples of when knowing the color of signs can be handy.
1. You see a pink road sign from a distance. What should you expect ahead?
A. A traffic incident.
B. A school bus stop.
C. A railroad crossing.
2. You are driving on a rural highway. You see an orange diamond-shaped road sign far ahead. The sign will:
A. Mark the beginning of a no-passing zone.
B. Warn you of road works ahead.
C. Indicate a new speed limit.
3. A sign showing information about nearby phone services is an example of a traffic sign with:
A. Green background.
B. White background.
C. Blue background.
4. What background color are parks and recreation signs?
A. Brown.
B. Blue.
C. Black and White.
5. Red road signs indicate:
A. Motorist services guidance.
B. A stop or prohibition.
C. General warning.
Yellow, yellow-green, orange, and pink are used on warning signs.
Black, white, and red are used on regulatory signs (signs that tell you what you must do or must not do).
Blue, brown, and green are used on guide signs.
The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) specifies 13 colors for highway signs in the United States, 11 of them are in current use. 2 (coral and light blue) are for future use.
The Tennessee Comprehensive Driver’s License Manual incorrectly states that Fluorescent Pink also is known as Coral. It is not. Compare the two colors below.
| A. |  | Black – regulation |
| B. |  | Blue – road user services guidance, tourist information, and evacuation route |
| C. |  | Brown – recreational and cultural interest area guidance |
| D. |  | Coral – not yet assigned |
| E. |  | Fluorescent Pink – incident management |
| F. |  | Fluorescent Yellow-Green – pedestrian warning, bicycle warning, playground warning, school bus and school warning |
| G. |  | Green – indicated movements permitted, direction guidance |
| H. |  | Light Blue – not yet assigned |
| I. |  | Orange – temporary traffic control |
| J. |  | Purple – lanes restricted to use only by vehicles with registered electronic toll collection (ETC) accounts |
| K. |  | Red – stop or prohibition |
| L. |  | White – regulation |
| M. |  | Yellow – warning |
1. A, 2. B, 3. C, 4. A, 5. B
1. Expect questions about colors to show up on the driver's license or permit exam.
2. Colors give important information about the purpose of a road sign (like prohibition, warning, or guidance).
Orange road signs warn you of construction and maintenance work on, or near, the road. Adjust your speed and watch for workers and equipment.
In United States, all three colors are used for guide signs.
Fluorescent pink road signs are used for temporary incident management. You will typically see them when there has been a serious traffic accident involving many vehicles, hazardous materials , or natural disasters. Often, all or part of the roadway is closed ahead.
In United States, general warning signs have black symbols or lettering on a yellow background. Signs that alert you to school zones, pedestrian crossings, or bicycle crossings can have a fluorescent yellow-green background.
Signs with a red background are regulatory signs. They indicate something you must do or must NOT do. Typical examples are the Stop sign (you must come to a full stop) and the Wrong Way sign (you cannot drive in this direction).
Road signs with white background and a red crossed out circle indicates "Do Not", like the No Parking sign and No Right Turn sign.
Fluorescent yellow-green has replaced the traditional yellow on three types of warning signs in United States:
