US Rules of the Road Study Guide 2026

Traffic signs: shapes and colors

Every state follows the same national rulebook for signs, signals and road markings: the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). Shape and color tell you what kind of message a sign has, even before you can read it.

Shape	Meaning
Octagon (8 sides)	Stop. Used only for stop signs.
Triangle pointing down	Yield. Used only for yield signs.
Circle	Railroad crossing ahead. Used only for this sign.
Crossbuck (X)	Railroad crossing. Yield to trains.
Pennant (sideways triangle)	No-passing zone begins. Placed on the left side of the road.
Pentagon (5 sides)	School zone or school crossing.
Diamond	Warning of a hazard ahead.
Rectangle	Rules, or guide information.

Color	Meaning
Red	Stop, yield, do not enter, or not allowed
White	Rules (regulatory signs)
Yellow	General warning
Fluorescent yellow-green	School, pedestrian and bicycle warnings
Orange	Work zones
Fluorescent pink	Incident ahead, such as a crash
Green	Directions and distances
Blue	Driver services such as gas, food and hospitals
Brown	Parks, recreation and cultural sites

Regulatory signs

These signs give rules you must obey. Most are white rectangles. A red circle with a slash means the action shown is not allowed. If DO NOT ENTER or WRONG WAY signs face you, you are going against traffic: pull over and turn around safely.

Stop
Yield
Do not enter
Wrong way
One way
Speed limit
No U-turn
No left turn
No right turn
No turn on red
Keep right of the divider
Do not pass
No-passing zone ends
Left lane must turn left
Center lane for left turns only
HOV (carpool) lane

Warning signs

Most warning signs are yellow diamonds. They give you time to slow down for a curve, hill, merge or other hazard. A small plate under a warning sign shows a safe speed for that curve or ramp.

Stop ahead
Yield ahead
Signal ahead
Merge
Lane ends
Added lane
Divided highway begins
Divided highway ends
Two-way traffic
Curve right
Sharp turn right
Reverse curve
Winding road
Advisory speed
Slippery when wet
Steep hill
Narrow bridge
Crossroad
Side road
T intersection
Y intersection
Roundabout ahead
Deer crossing

School, pedestrian, bicycle and railroad signs

Fluorescent yellow-green signs warn of children, people walking and bicyclists. Round and X-shaped signs warn of railroad crossings.

School zone
School crossing
Pedestrian crossing
Bicycle crossing
Railroad ahead
Railroad crossing
No-passing zone

Work zone, guide and service signs

Orange signs mean road work. Slow down, watch for workers, and obey flaggers as you would a police officer. Route markers show which highway you are on; on Interstates, odd numbers generally run north and south and even numbers east and west. Blue signs point to services.

Road work ahead
Flagger ahead
Detour
Interstate
US route
Hospital
Disabled parking
Slow-moving vehicle

Traffic signals and pavement markings

Signal	What to do
Steady red	Stop at the stop line, or before the crosswalk. Wait for green.
Flashing red	Same as a stop sign: stop, then go when safe.
Steady yellow	Red is coming. Stop if you can do so safely.
Flashing yellow	Slow down and go with caution.
Steady green	Go when clear. Yield to pedestrians and vehicles still in the intersection.
Green arrow	Go only in the arrow direction.
Yellow arrow	The green arrow is ending. Be ready to stop.
Flashing yellow arrow	Turn only after yielding to oncoming traffic and pedestrians.
Red arrow	Do not make that turn yet.
Dark signal	Treat it as an all-way stop.

Unless a sign or local rule forbids it, you may turn right on red after a full stop, yielding to pedestrians and cross traffic. Some states also allow a left turn on red from one one-way street onto another; check your handbook.

Turn right on red only after a full stop, when the way is clear.

1: Your car, stopped at the line.
2: Your light is red.
3: A pedestrian is crossing. Wait.
4: Cross traffic. Let it pass.

Over some highway lanes, a red X means do not use the lane, and a yellow X means move out of it. Pedestrian signals show a walking person when people may start to cross and a raised hand when they should not start. Always let people already crossing finish.

Pavement markings

Yellow lines separate traffic going in opposite directions. Yellow also marks the left edge of divided highways and one-way roads.
White lines separate lanes going the same way and mark the right edge of the road.
Red reflectors facing you mean you are going the wrong way.
Blue markings show parking for people with disabilities.
A broken line means you may cross when safe. A solid line means crossing is discouraged or not allowed. A double line means the strongest limits.

Common line types on US roads.

1: Solid yellow: separates opposite directions; do not cross to pass.
2: Broken yellow: either side may pass when safe.
3: Double solid yellow: no passing from either side.
4: Solid and broken yellow: only the broken-line side may pass.
5: Broken white: lanes going the same way; change lanes when safe.
6: Solid white: road edge or lane you should stay in.

In most states you may cross a double yellow line only to turn left into or out of a driveway or side road. Never change lanes across a double white line.

The center line shows where passing is allowed.

1: Double solid yellow: no passing.
2: Broken yellow: passing allowed when safe.
3: A car passes in the broken section and returns to its lane.

A center lane marked with solid and broken yellow lines on both sides is a two-way left-turn lane. Enter it just before you turn left. Never use it to pass or travel.

Drivers from both directions share the center lane to turn left.

1: A car heading right turns left into a driveway.
2: A car heading left uses the same lane to turn.

A white stop line shows where to stop. Lane arrows show where each lane must go. A diamond marks an HOV or other reserved lane.

Right-of-way

Right-of-way rules say who must yield, which means letting others go first. The rules do not give anyone the right to force their way. Even when the rules favor you, be ready to give way to avoid a crash.

All-way stops

The first vehicle to stop is the first to go.
If two stop at the same time, the driver on the left yields to the driver on the right.
If two facing each other stop together, a left-turning driver yields to one going straight.

Cars go in the order they stopped.

Car 1 stopped first and goes first.
Car 2 goes second.
Car 3 goes third.
Car 4 goes last.

Stopped together? The car on the right goes first.

Car A has Car B on its right, so it waits.
Car B goes first.

No signs or signals

At an uncontrolled intersection, the first to arrive goes first. If you arrive together, yield to the vehicle on your right. Slow down and be ready to stop.

Arriving together, yield to the vehicle on your right.

Car A must yield.
Car B, on the right, goes first.

Left turns

When turning left, yield to oncoming traffic that is close enough to be a danger, and to pedestrians. Only a green arrow means oncoming traffic is stopped for you.

A left-turning driver waits for oncoming traffic.

Car A is turning left and must wait.
Car B is going straight and goes first.

Other rules

At a T-intersection, traffic on the through road goes first.
Leaving a driveway or parking lot, yield to pedestrians and all road traffic.
Yield to pedestrians in marked or unmarked crosswalks, even on green.
People with a white cane or guide dog always have the right-of-way. Do not honk at them.
On a steep, narrow mountain road, the vehicle facing uphill has the right-of-way.
A police officer directing traffic overrides signals and signs.

Intersections, turns and railroad crossings

Signal every time you turn, change lanes, slow down or pull over. Most states require a signal at least 100 feet before a turn. Hand signals use the left arm.

The three hand signals.

1: Arm straight out: left turn.
2: Arm bent up: right turn.
3: Arm bent down: slow or stop.

Making turns

Right turns: keep close to the right edge and turn into the lane nearest the curb.
Left turns: start from the lane nearest the center and finish just right of the new road's center line. From a one-way street, start in the left lane.
While waiting to turn left, keep your wheels straight so a rear-end crash cannot push you into oncoming traffic.

Turn into the nearest correct lane.

1: Left turn into the lane just right of the center line.
2: Right turn into the lane next to the curb.

Make U-turns only where legal and safe, never on a freeway or near a curve or hilltop where others cannot see you. On a narrow street, use a three-point turn.

A three-point turn.

Move 1: forward, turning left.
Move 2: back up, turning right.
Move 3: forward into the other lane.

Roundabouts

Traffic moves counterclockwise. Slow down, yield to pedestrians, look left, and enter when there is a gap in traffic already in the circle. Do not stop or pass inside. Signal right before your exit.

Yield to traffic already in the roundabout.

Car A waits at the yield line and looks left.
Car B is in the roundabout and goes first.

Railroad crossings

Trains cannot swerve, and one going 60 mph may need a mile or more to stop. When a train is coming, stop 15 to 50 feet from the nearest rail.

Stop between 15 and 50 feet from the nearest rail.

1: Flashing lights: a train is coming.
2: Stop line.
3: Your car waits for the train to pass.

Never go around or under lowered gates.
With more than one track, make sure no second train is coming.
Cross only if your whole car fits on the other side.
If gates stay down with no train, call the number posted at the crossing or 911.
If you stall on the tracks, get out and walk away at an angle toward the train. Debris flies in the direction the train moves.

Speed and space

A speed limit is the top legal speed in good conditions. In rain, fog, snow, traffic or darkness, slow down; you can be ticketed for driving too fast for conditions even below the limit. Driving far slower than traffic is also risky. Default limits differ by state.

Following distance

Pick a fixed object. When the vehicle ahead passes it, count seconds until you reach it. Many handbooks recommend at least three seconds; some teach two as the bare minimum. Add time in bad weather, at night, and behind trucks and motorcycles.

Counting seconds from a fixed object.

Mark 1: one second.
Mark 2: two seconds.
Mark 3: three seconds, reaching the post.

Stopping distance

You keep moving while you react and while you brake. If you double your speed, braking distance grows about four times. Wet or icy roads add more.

Total stopping distance.

Part 1: reaction distance.
Part 2: braking distance.

Space cushion and blind spots

Keep open space around your car so you have time to react and room to steer. Avoid driving beside other vehicles for long. Mirrors miss areas beside and behind you, so look over your shoulder before changing lanes. If someone tailgates you, do not brake suddenly; leave more space ahead and let them pass.

Keep space on all sides.

1: Ahead.
2: Behind.
3: Left.
4: Right.

Blind spots the mirrors miss.

1: Left blind spot, hiding a car.
2: Right blind spot.

Keep your eyes moving. Look far down the road, check the sides of the road for people and animals, and glance at your mirrors every few seconds. Looking ahead gives you time to spot trouble early and avoid sudden stops.

Sharing the road

Pedestrians

Pedestrians have the right-of-way in marked and unmarked crosswalks. Never pass a vehicle stopped at a crosswalk. Before backing up, look behind your car for small children.

Stop while a pedestrian crosses.

1: Pedestrian crossing.
2: Your car waits at the stop line.
3: The oncoming car also waits.

Bicyclists and motorcyclists

Bicyclists may use the road and must obey traffic laws. Pass them slowly with plenty of space.
Look back for bicyclists before opening your door.
A motorcycle may use a full lane. Never share its lane.
Look carefully before turning left. Many motorcycle crashes happen when a car turns left in front of one.

Large trucks and buses

Trucks have big blind spots, called No-Zones, on all four sides. If you cannot see the driver in the truck's mirror, the driver cannot see you.

Pass on the left and do not linger beside a truck.
Move back in only when you can see the whole truck in your rearview mirror.
Trucks swing wide on right turns. Never squeeze between a truck and the curb.
Do not tailgate a truck, and leave room behind it on hills, where it may roll back.
Trucks need far more distance to stop than cars. Never cut in front of one and then slow down.

Farm and construction vehicles often show an orange slow-moving vehicle triangle; slow down early and pass only where it is legal and safe. Pass people riding horses slowly and widely, and do not honk near them. In work zones, slow down, watch for workers, and obey flaggers.

School buses and emergency vehicles

Flashing yellow lights on a school bus mean it is about to stop. Flashing red lights and a stop arm mean it has stopped. Stop and stay stopped until the red lights go off. Then move slowly: children may cross in front of the bus or run back for something they dropped.

On a two-lane road, both directions stop.

Car 1, behind the bus, stops.
Car 2, coming the other way, stops.

Drivers behind the bus must stop; the other side varies by state.

Car 1 must stop.
Car 2, across the median, may go in many states, but some, such as New York, require it to stop.

Emergency vehicles

For a siren and flashing lights, pull to the right edge and stop until the vehicle passes. Drivers going both ways on a two-way road must do this. If you are in an intersection, clear it first. If you cannot tell where a siren is, pull over until you know.

Pull right and stop.

1: Ambulance with lights and siren.
2: Car going the same way stops at the right edge.
3: Oncoming car also stops at its right edge.

Move Over laws: when an emergency vehicle is stopped with lights flashing, move to a lane away from it if safe; otherwise slow down. In many states this also covers tow trucks and work vehicles.

Move over for a stopped emergency vehicle.

1: Emergency vehicle on the shoulder.
2: Your car moves over one lane.

Parking

On a hill, turn your wheels so that if the brakes fail the car rolls into the curb or off the road, not into traffic. Always set the parking brake.

Wheel positions on a hill.

1: Uphill with curb: wheels away from the curb.
2: Downhill with curb: wheels toward the curb.
3: No curb: wheels toward the road edge.

Parallel parking.

1: Stop beside the car ahead of the space.
2: Back in at an angle.
3: Straighten out near the curb.

Never park in a crosswalk, on a sidewalk, in an intersection, on railroad tracks, in front of a driveway, or in a disabled space without a permit. Distances from hydrants and crosswalks are set by each state. Check for bicyclists before opening your door, and signal and check your blind spot when pulling out.

Freeway driving

Use the acceleration lane to reach the speed of traffic. Signal, check your blind spot, and merge into a gap. Freeway traffic usually has the right-of-way but should make room when it can.

Merging onto a freeway.

1: On-ramp.
2: Your car speeds up in the acceleration lane.
3: Merge into a gap.

Keep right except to pass. Change one lane at a time. Stay out of trucks' blind spots. When a lane ends in slow traffic, drivers can use both lanes to the merge point and take turns, like a zipper; some states encourage this.

Taking turns where a lane ends.

1: Goes first.
2: Merges behind car 1.
3: Goes next.
4: Merges behind car 3.

To exit, move into the exit lane early and signal. Slow down after you enter the exit lane, not on the freeway itself, and watch for a lower advisory speed on the ramp. If you miss your exit, go on to the next one. Never back up or turn around on a freeway.

Lanes marked with a white diamond are HOV (high-occupancy vehicle) lanes. Signs tell you how many people must be in the vehicle and the hours the rule applies.

Night driving and bad weather

Use headlights whenever it is dark or hard to see. Switch to low beams within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle, and when following another car closely (200 to 300 feet, depending on the state).

Both drivers use low beams.

Car 1: low beams.
Car 2: low beams.

If oncoming lights blind you, look toward the right edge of your lane until the car passes.
Drive slowly enough to stop within the distance your headlights show. This is called not overdriving your headlights.
Watch closely for pedestrians, bicyclists and motorcyclists, who are much harder to see at night.
Keep your windshield clean inside and out. Dirt makes glare worse.

Rain, fog, snow and ice

Roads are often slickest in the first minutes of rain. Slow down and use low beams.
If your tires ride on water (hydroplaning), ease off the gas, hold the wheel straight, and do not brake hard.
Use low beams in fog. If you cannot see, pull completely off the road.
On snow and ice, drive slowly and brake gently. Bridges and overpasses freeze first.

Alcohol, drugs and distraction

In every state except Utah, drivers 21 or older may not drive with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08% or higher. Utah's limit is 0.05%. Lower limits apply to younger and commercial drivers.

Alcohol affects judgment first, then reaction time, vision and coordination. A driver at 0.08% is about four times more likely to crash. Only time lowers BAC; coffee and cold showers do not.

Drink	Same alcohol
Beer	12 ounces
Wine	5 ounces
Liquor	1.5 ounces

Under implied consent laws, driving means you agree to a chemical test if police lawfully ask. Refusing leads to license suspension or revocation.

Driving impaired by any drug is illegal, including marijuana and medicines. Many cold and allergy medicines cause drowsiness. Mixing alcohol with drugs makes both stronger.

Distraction and drowsiness

A distraction is anything that takes your eyes, hands or mind off driving: phones, eating, passengers, music or a navigation screen. Reading or sending a text takes your eyes off the road for about 5 seconds, which at 55 mph is like driving the length of a football field with your eyes closed. Distracted driving killed 3,208 people in the United States in 2024. Phone laws differ by state, but the safest choice is to put the phone away.

Drifting from your lane or hitting rumble strips means you are drowsy. An open window or loud music will not keep you awake, and caffeine helps only for a short time. Stop in a safe place and rest; a nap of about 20 minutes can help. Drowsy crashes are most common from midnight to 6 a.m. and in the late afternoon.

If an aggressive driver confronts you, stay calm. Do not make eye contact, return gestures, or speed up to block them. Let them go.

Emergencies and crashes

Problem	What to do
Skid	Ease off the gas and steer where you want to go.
Hard braking with ABS	Press firmly and hold. Do not pump.
Hard braking without ABS	Pump the brakes.
Brakes fail	Pump the pedal, then use the parking brake slowly.
Tire blowout	Hold the wheel tightly and ease off the gas.
Gas pedal sticks	Shift to neutral, brake and pull off. Do not turn off the key.
Wheels leave the pavement	Slow down, then steer back gently.
Car in deep water	Unbuckle and escape through a window.

If your car breaks down, turn on your hazard lights and get off the road. Do not stop just over a hill or around a curve.

After a crash

Stop, even if the damage is small.
Move off the road if you can and warn traffic.
Call 911 if anyone is hurt.
Do not move injured people unless there is danger, such as fire.
Exchange names, addresses, license numbers, registration and insurance.
Report the crash as your state requires.

If you hit a parked car and cannot find the owner, leave your contact details and tell the police. If you see a crash you are not involved in, do not stop unless help has not arrived yet; extra cars can block rescuers and cause more crashes.