UK Road Signs – Top 5 Types To Look Out For

From knowing the speed limit to finding your way, road signs are designed to instruct, warn and direct road traffic. While some signs are self-explanatory, some can be a little less obvious as to their meaning. This doesn’t make them less important though. In this article we’re going to run through the top types of UK road signs and what you should know about them.

1. Warnings

Warnings predominantly show what’s up ahead on the road so you can prepare and proceed with caution if necessary. Whether that’s an uneven surface, a roundabout, a junction on a bend, the end of a dual carriageway or a crossroads. There are many warning signs and you can get to know them by reading through the Highway Code or asking your driving instructor the next time you’re out on the road.

How to spot: Warning signs are mostly triangular in shape and feature a clear red outline.

2. Orders

Orders are road signs that you must obey and are often a legal requirement. Orders include speed limits, stop, give way, no entry and no U-turns. For the exhaustive list, you should consult the ‘Signs giving orders’ section of the Highway Code.

How to spot: Just like with warning signs, most order signals feature a red outline or background.

3. Directions

From Land’s End to John O’ Groats, direction signs are there to help you get from A to B as smoothly as possible. While many drivers consult their sat-nav it’s still important to pay attention to the direction signs presented in real life. Occasionally these can differ from the sat-nav, especially if there has been a recent change or diversion.

How to spot: Blue rectangular signs give information on motorways, green signs direct you on primary roads, while minor roads have white signs.

4. Informational

Information signs are designed to give you important details about upcoming junctions, lane restrictions, merging road lanes and special zones.

How to spot: These are often presented with a blue background and can be found on roads and motorways.

5. Road works

There are also a number of designated road work signs to look out for, including warnings about road works ahead, loose chippings, temporary lane closures and diversions.

So there you have the top 5 types of road signs in the UK. If you want an easy place to scour all the must-know road signs, we can recommend this helpful UK road signs pdf.

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