Road sign flashcards

118 U.S. road signs, free. The sign is on the front; flip for its name, what it means and what to do. They work for every state, because every state uses the same federal sign standard.

Free for everyone, no sign-up. Swipe right if you knew it, left to see it again.

What the deck covers

Pick one group from the Topic menu above to focus on it, or shuffle the whole deck once you know the basics.

Sample cards

  • Regulatory signs

    Yield sign

    What does this sign mean?

    Yield

    Slow down and be ready to stop. Let vehicles and pedestrians already in or approaching the intersection go first.

    MUTCD 11th ed., page 6

  • School signs

    School crossing sign

    What does this sign mean?

    School crossing

    Children may be crossing. Slow down and be ready to stop. The fluorescent yellow-green color is used for school, pedestrian and bicycle warnings.

    What to do: Slow down and watch for children.

    MUTCD 11th ed., page 82

  • Railroad crossing signs

    Railroad crossing ahead sign

    What does this sign mean?

    Railroad crossing ahead

    A highway-rail grade crossing is ahead. Slow down, look and listen, and be ready to stop.

    What to do: Slow down, look and listen both ways, and be ready to stop for a train.

    MUTCD 11th ed., page 82

  • Regulatory signs

    Keep right sign

    What does this sign mean?

    Keep right

    Stay to the right of the island or obstruction ahead.

    MUTCD 11th ed., page 142

  • Warning signs

    No passing zone sign

    What does this sign mean?

    No passing zone

    A pennant on the left side of the road marking the start of a no-passing zone.

    What to do: Slow down before you reach the hazard and be ready to react.

    MUTCD 11th ed., page 9

  • Regulatory signs

    Stop sign

    What does this sign mean?

    Stop

    Come to a complete stop at the stop line (or before the crosswalk or intersection), then go only when it is safe and you have yielded to traffic and pedestrians.

    MUTCD 11th ed., page 6

Learn signs faster

  1. Start with shape and color. An octagon is always stop, a triangle always yield, a yellow diamond a warning, orange a work zone, a pentagon a school. On the test, the shape alone often gives the answer.
  2. Say the action, not just the name. The test asks what you must do. For each card, say what you would do as a driver before you flip.
  3. Swipe honestly. Right only if you had it. Missed cards are collected so you can review just those at the end of the round.
  4. Then test yourself. Take the road signs practice test to answer them in test format.

Every card follows the federal MUTCD and links to its page. State flashcard decks (practice questions and state rules) are on each state’s page; the first 20 cards of each are free.

Questions

Are the road sign flashcards free?

Yes. All 118 road-sign cards are free for everyone, with no sign-up.

Are road signs the same in every state?

Yes. Every state follows the federal Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), so a stop sign, a curve warning or a school crossing sign looks the same everywhere. A few states add their own signs, but the shapes and colors keep the same meanings.

How do I use the flashcards?

Press Start. Look at the sign and say what it means, then tap to flip. Swipe right if you knew it, left to see it again, or up to skip. On a computer, Space flips and the arrow keys grade. Turn your phone sideways for a wider card.

How many road signs are on the permit test?

It depends on the state. Many tests include a set of sign questions, and some, such as Virginia’s, require a perfect score on them. Knowing shapes and colors lets you work out signs you have not seen before.

Flashcards for your state

All road signs and their meanings