Have you ever wondered as you drive down the road why some signs are green while others are yellow or blue? The color of a road sign is a code that helps keep you and other drivers safe! These colors are regulated by the Federal Highway Administration to ensure consistency across the U.S. From warning of upcoming hazards to guiding you to your destination, every hue has a purpose. Buckle up as we decode the colorful world of traffic signs.
Red
Attention! Red signs are regulatory and signal that you need to pay extra attention while you’re driving. These include stop, wrong way, yield and do not enter signs. Drivers must comply with regulatory signs and can be cited if they disobey them.
Orange
Orange signs alert the driver that there is construction or maintenance ahead, and to drive with caution. These signs help ensure safety for both drivers and workers by providing advanced notice of potentially hazardous situations or conditions on the road ahead. Remember to slow for the cone zone and help everyone get home safely. Learn more about construction safety here.
Yellow
Yellow are warning signs of possible danger ahead. This includes signs that indicate pedestrian crossing, two-way traffic, deer crossing, merging and many more!
Green
Green signs are navigators. They tell you where you need to be to get where you are going. On the highway they tell the driver what the next exits are, how far you are from the next city, what road you’re on and more.
Blue
Blue road signs are generally motorists information and services signs that tell the driver about services along the road. They can signify where there are rest services, call boxes, food, fuel and hospitals. Signs indicating you can pay tolls online on our roads are blue, the color of informational road signs.
Purple
Purple is the color used by tolling agencies across the nation to indicate that a tolled road or express lanes collects tolls electronically. On The Toll Roads, you will see purple signs with the FasTrak® logo to indicate you can pay tolls with an account!
On The Toll Roads, there are more than 500 signs that inform drivers that they are entering a tolled road; they are on a tolled road; that cash is not accepted; that tolls can be paid electronically via a pre-established account or online; and that a violation will be issued if tolls are not paid.
Caltrans provides uniform standards and specifications for all official traffic control devices, including road signs, in California, in accordance with California Vehicle Code. To view these specifications, please visit https://dot.ca.gov/programs/safety-programs/camutcd. To learn more about The Toll Roads and FasTrak, visit TheTollRoads.com.
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