Traffic Signs – Warning Signs

Traffic Signs Warning signs other than those for low bridges, railway and tramway level crossings, bus and pedal cycle facilities, traffic calming and road works.

stop 100 yards — Distance to STOP line.

give way 50 yards — Distance to GIVE WAY line.

traffic signals — Traffic signals ahead.

part time signals — Traffic signals that operate only at certain times.

On this page

On this page

Junctions

crossroads — Crossroads.

t junction — T-junction.

side road — Side road.

staggered junction — Staggered junction.

The priority through the junction is indicated by the broader line.

traffic merges left — Traffic merges from the left.

traffic merges main carriageway — Traffic merges onto main carriageway.

roundabout — Roundabout.

Road bends

bend to the right — Bend to right (left if symbol reversed).

double bend — Double bend first to the left (right if symbol reversed).

junction on a bend 1

junction on a bend 2

Junction on a bend (symbols may be reversed).

adverse camber — Plate used with ‘roundabout’ or ‘bend’ signs.

adverse camber lorry — Risk of lorries overturning on bend to the left (right if symbol reversed).

chevrons

chevrons 2

Sharp deviation of route to the left (right if chevrons reversed) (alternative designs).

reduce speed now — Plate used with warning signs where a reduction in speed is necessary.

Road narrows

road narrows — Road narrows on both sides.

road narrows right — Road narrows on right (left if symbol reversed).

Plates used with ‘road narrows’ signs

oncoming vehicles

single file traffic — Single-file traffic in each direction.

single track road — Road wide enough for only one line of vehicles.

end of dual carriageway — End of dual carriageway.

two way traffic — Two-way traffic.

two way traffic route crossing — Two-way traffic on route crossing ahead.

red circle

red rectangle

Near-side edge of carriageway or obstruction near that edge (alternative shapes). White markers are used on the off-side edge and amber ones on the off-side edge of a dual carriageway.

ford — Worded warning. ‘Ford’ may be varied to ‘Flood’, ‘Gate’, ‘Gates’ or ‘No smoking’.

Steep road

try your brakes — Try brakes after crossing a ford or before descending a steep hill.

Steep hill downwards (10% is equivalent to 1:10).

Steep hill upwards (20% is equivalent to 1:5).

escape lane — Sign used with ‘steep hill’ or ‘try your brakes’ signs.

low gear

low gear now

keep in low gear

Plates used with ‘steep hill’ signs.

opening swing bridge — Opening or swing bridge.

quayside or river bank — Quayside or river bank.

end of bridge — End of bridge parapet, abutment wall, tunnel mouth etc.

water course — Water course alongside road.

soft verges — Soft verges for distance shown.

tunnel — Tunnel.

hump bridge — Hump bridge.

uneven road — Uneven road.

slippery road — Slippery road.

side winds — Side winds.

distance to hazard — Distance to hazard.

distance and direction to hazard — Distance and direction to hazard.

distance over which hazard — Distance over which hazard extends.

low flying aircraft — Low-flying aircraft or sudden aircraft noise.

gliders — Gliders likely.

low flying helicopters — Low-flying helicopters or sudden helicopter noise.

falling rocks — Risk of falling or fallen rocks.

queues likely — Traffic queues likely ahead.

military vehicles — Slow-moving military vehicles likely to be in or crossing the road.

slow lorries — Slow-moving vehicles for distance shown.

ice — Risk of ice. ‘Ice’ may be varied to ‘Snowdrifts’.

fire station — Warning of signals. ‘FIRE’ may be varied to ‘AMBULANCE’ or ‘POLICE’.

hidden dip — Other danger. The plate indicates the nature of the hazard.

Pedestrian warnings

Understanding Traffic Signs Warning Signs

zebra crossing — Zebra or parallel crossing.

no footway — Pedestrians in road for distance shown.

frail pedestrians — Frail pedestrians likely to cross.

disabled people — Disabled pedestrians. ‘Disabled’ may be varied to ‘Blind’.

school — Children going to or from school.

school alternative — Alternative plates used with ‘school’ sign.

children lights — Lights warning of children likely to be crossing the road on their way to or from school (used with ‘school’ sign).

pedestrians crossing — Pedestrians likely to be crossing a high-speed road where there is no formal crossing point.

school 20mph — Part-time advisory 20 mph speed limit at or near a school.

Animal warnings

horse drawn vehicles — Horse-drawn vehicles likely to be in the road.

horses crossing — Accompanied horses or ponies likely to be in or crossing the road.

wild horses — Wild horses or ponies.

wild animals — Wild animals.

small wild animals — Small wild animals.

wild fowl — Wild fowl.

migratory toad crossing — Migratory toad crossing.

sheep — Sheep.

farm traffic — Agricultural vehicles.

animal infected area — Area infected by animal disease.

cattle grid — Cattle grid with indication of bypass for horse-drawn vehicles and animals.

cattle — Cattle.

cattle crossing — Supervised cattle crossing ahead.

supervised cattle crossing — Supervised cattle crossing.

Cycle routes

cycle route — Pedal cycle route crossing or joining the road ahead.

cycle route signs — Plates used with ‘cycle route ahead’ sign.

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Next chapter: Regulatory signs

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