How to read signs like this
Regulatory signs tell you what the law requires: stop, yield, speed limits, turns and lanes. Most are white rectangles with black or red. Red means stop, yield or a prohibition; a red circle with a slash means “no”.
Practice question
What does this sign forbid?
- A Turning around to head back the way you came
- B Turning left onto the cross street
- C Entering the road from this direction
- D Passing other vehicles on this road
Show answer
A. Turning around to head back the way you came
The arrow inside the red circle curves all the way back, which is the symbol for a U-turn. The slash means that movement is banned here. Where both U-turns and left turns are banned, a combined sign is used instead of two separate ones.
Source: MUTCD 11th ed., page 129
Related signs
Stop
Yield
All-way plaque
Yield here to pedestrians
In-street pedestrian crossing
Speed limit
No right turn
No left turnAll road signs · Road sign flashcards (free)