Traffic Controls
Lesson 1
Understanding
Traffic Signs and
Signals
1
Traffic Signals
Steady lights

Red –stop and remain stopped
as long as the signal is red

Yellow - a steady yellow light or
arrow indicates that the light is
about to change
 Clear the intersection

Green – go IF the way is clear
2
Traffic Signals
Flashing Lights
Flashing Red
STOP before entering the
intersection
Flashing Yellow - Caution
dangerous intersection
3
Traffic Signals
Arrows
You may proceed in the direction of
the green arrow
You may NOT proceed in the direction
of the red arrow
4
Testing Your Knowledge
When this traffic light is RED
a. STOP and remain stopped
until the light changes
b. Slow down and proceed
with caution
c. Yield to traffic in the
intersection
5
Testing Your Knowledge
a. STOP and remain stopped until the
light changes
Correct!
When the traffic light is RED, you must stop and remain stopped
until the light turns GREEN.
You may turn right on red after stopping unless there is a sign
prohibiting it.
You may turn left on red after stopping if you are on a one-way street
and moving to another one-way street unless there is a sign
prohibiting it.
6
Traffic Signs
Right Turn on Red
At some intersections you may turn right
while the traffic light is red
 BEFORE turning STOP
 Check for traffic and pedestrians
You may NOT turn right on red if one of
these signs is present
7
Traffic Signs
Left Turn on Red
Left turn on red is permitted from one one-way street
to another one-way street
You must:
• Stop
and
• Yield to other traffic and pedestrians
You may NOT turn left on red if there
is a sign prohibiting it
8
Testing Your Knowledge
You are allowed to turn
right or left at a red light
after stopping at all
intersections
a. True
b. False
9
Testing Your Knowledge
b. false
Correct!
Right turn on red can be made at an
intersection that does NOT have a
prohibitive sign or a red arrow.
Left turn on red can only be made from
one one-way street to another one-way
street.
10
Traffic Signs
Signs - Colors have Meaning
Red — prohibitive or stop
Blue — motorist services
Green — guide information, such as
direction or guidance signs
Yellow —general warning
11
Traffic Signs
Signs - Colors have Meaning
Orange — construction and
maintenance work
White — regulatory signs
Brown —recreational and cultural interest
Fluorescent Optic Yellow —school zones,
school crossings and pedestrian crossings
12
Testing Your Knowledge
Red on a sign indicates:
a. caution
b. prohibitive
c. construction zone
13
Testing Your Knowledge
b. Prohibitive
Correct!
RED – means stop or prohibited
Examples:
 Stop
 No Right Turn
 Do Not Enter
14
Testing Your Knowledge
A sign with a White background
a. warning sign
b. traffic law
c. guide sign
15
Testing Your Knowledge
b. Traffic law
Correct!
Signs with a white
background are regulatory
and state traffic laws
16
Testing Your Knowledge
Orange on a sign indicates:
a. Construction/road work
b. Regulatory (the law)
c. Services
17
Testing Your Knowledge
a. Construction/road work
Correct!
The color orange lets the driver
know there is construction ahead
or you are entering a work zone
18
Testing Your Knowledge
A Yellow sign indicates
a. construction
b. services
c. general warning
19
Testing Your Knowledge
c. General warning
Correct!
Yellow signs are general warning signs.
Drivers should proceed with caution
Merge
Pedestrian
Crossing
20
Traffic Signs
Signs - shapes Having Meaning
Octagon —Stop signs
Triangle —Yield signs
Diamond — Warning
Pentagon — School and School Crossings
Pennant — Advance warning of No Passing Zones
21
Traffic Signs
Signs - shapes Having Meaning
Rectangle — Regulatory or Guide
Vertical indicates Regulatory
Horizontal indicates directions or information
Round - advance warning of Railroad Crossing
Crossbuck – Railroad Crossing (same as a yield
sign)
22
Testing Your Knowledge
Because this sign is diamond
shaped, we know it means
a. school zone
b. the law (regulatory)
c. caution
23
Testing Your Knowledge
c. caution
Correct!
A diamond shaped sign
does indicate a general
warning!
Deer Crossing
24
Testing Your Knowledge
A round sign indicates
a. warning
b. yield
c. rail road crossing ahead
25
Testing Your Knowledge
c. rail road crossing ahead
Correct!
A round sign is an advanced
warning of a RR crossing
The crossbuck should be
treated as a yield sign at a RR
crossing
26
Traffic Signs
Warning Signs
Give advance warning of hazards to allow drivers time to
safely minimize risks
Yellow General
Warning
Orange
Construction/
Work Zone
27
Traffic Signs
Note the difference between these signs!
A school crossing sign is 5 sided (pentagon)
A pedestrian crossing sign is a diamond shaped sign
Winding road
Slippery when wet – slow down when road
surface is wet
28
Traffic Signs
Guide Signs
Green
GUIDE drivers to their destination by
identifying routes well in advance
29
Traffic Signs
Information Signs
INFORM drivers of motorist services and
recreational facilities
Services - Blue
Recreation/Historical
Landmarks- Brown
30
Traffic Signs
Regulatory Signs
REGULATE the speed and movement/direction of
traffic
Red – Stop or
Prohibitive
White Regulations
31
Testing Your Knowledge
The orange cone indicates
a. construction
b. warning – intersection ahead
c. services ahead
32
Testing Your Knowledge
a. construction
Correct!
The color orange indicates construction
or work zone
These cones are used to channel traffic
thru the work zone
33
Testing Your Knowledge
This sign indicates
a. no left turn
b. left turn only
c. sharp curve to the left
34
Testing Your Knowledge
a. no left turn
Correct!
This is a NO LEFT TURN sign
The shape (rectangle) and color (white)
of this sign identify it as a regulatory
sign.
The RED slash indicates the action
shown is prohibited.
35
Traffic Signs
What does the sign mean?
Review the Virginia Driver’s Manual
Divided highway
begins
Right curve- side
road
Divided highway ends
Right and left
curves
Slippery when wet
SHARP right and left
curves
Winding Road
Low clearance
36
Traffic Signs
What does the sign mean?
No passing
zone ahead
LEFT
LANE
HOV-2
ONLY
6-8 AM
Lane reserved for
high occupancy
vehicles
Slow moving vehicle
travels 25 mph or less
Crossbuck/gate down Stop and remain stopped
until the gate goes up
MON-FRI
Construction
work zone ahead
37
Testing Your Knowledge
This sign indicates
a. keep right
b. divided highway begins
c. divided highway ends
38
Testing Your Knowledge
b. divided highway
Correct!
This is a warning sign
indicating there is a divided
highway ahead
The driver should keep right
39
Testing Your Knowledge
If you see this sign, you know
a. it is a warning sign
b. only vehicles with at east
two occupants are allowed
in this lane between 6:30
am and 9:30 am
LEFT
LANE
HOV-2+
ONLY
6:30-9:30 AM
MON-FRI
40
Testing Your Knowledge
b. only vehicles with at east two
occupants are allowed …
Correct!
This sign is a regulatory sign that indicates it is
against the law to be in that lane between
6:30 – 9:30 AM, Monday through Friday if
there are not at least 2 occupants in your
vehicles
LEFT
LANE
HOV-2+
ONLY
6:30-9:30 AM
MON-FRI
41
Virginia Learner’s Permit
General Knowledge Test
80% needed to pass (20 out of 25 correct)
Virginia Driver’s Manual -Sections 2, 3 & 4
Topics







Pavement Markings
Safe Driving
Speed Limits
Right of Way
Changing Lanes/Passing
Turning
 Signals
Maintaining Space





Sharing the Road
Parking
Use of Lights
Dangerous Driving Behaviors
 Aggressive Driving
 Distracted
 Alcohol/Drugs & Driving
 Drowsy
Safety Belts, Air Bags & Child
Safety Seats
42
Pavement Markings
Lesson 2
Understanding
Pavement Markings
43
Pavement Markings
Yellow Line = Two-way Traffic
White Line = One-way Traffic
Solid Line = No Passing
Broken Line = Pass With
Caution
Is this a one-way or two-way road?
Would passing be allowed?
44
Pavement Markings
Yellow Line
Two way traffic pass
with caution
Traffic Flow
Traffic Flow
Two way traffic no
passing
45
Pavement Markings
White Lines
One-way traffic
Broken - pass with caution
Traffic Flow
Traffic Flow
Stop line
Left turn only - arrow
No passing - solid line
46
Pavement Markings
Multi-Lane
ONE WAY – pass
with caution
TWO WAY – no passing over solid
lines
47
Pavement Markings
Triangles painted on the
pavement show that you
must yield
48
Pavement Markings
Arrows Indicate the Flow of Traffic
This lane may continue
straight or turn left
This lane must turn
left
49
Pavement Markings
Shared Left Turn Lane
 Traffic from both directions
uses this lane to turn left
 Do not travel more than 150
feet in this lane
50
Pavement Markings
Diamond Shaped Pavement Marking
 HOV
 Bus Lanes
 Bicycle Lanes
51
Testing Your Knowledge
When approaching this
pavement marking
a. stop
b. yield
c. proceed with caution
52
Testing Your Knowledge
b. yield
Correct!
Triangles painted on the
pavement mark an area in
which you must yield
53
Testing Your Knowledge
If you are driving in this
lane, you must
a. turn left
b. turn right
54
Testing Your Knowledge
a. turn left
Correct!
This is a shared left
turn lane –
Vehicles in this lane
must turn left
55
Testing Your Knowledge
This roadway is
a. one way – no passing
b. one way – passing
allowed
c. two way – passing
allowed
56
Testing Your Knowledge
b. one way – passing allowed
Correct!
White lines indicate one-way traffic
and broken lines indicate passing is
allowed
57