Signs, Signals and Pavement Markings — Maryland Driver's License Practice Test

This large section covers traffic control devices — signals, signs, and pavement markings — which everyone must obey. The only time you do not obey a device is when directed by a police officer, other emergency personnel, or a uniformed school crossing guard, and you may not drive across private property or leave the road to avoid one. Because this section is dense, it helps to group what you learn into three areas: traffic signals and lane-use signals, signs (by color and shape), and pavement markings.

For signals, a steady red means a complete stop; unless a sign prohibits it, after stopping you may turn right, or turn left from a one-way street onto another one-way street, yielding to pedestrians and all traffic. Steady yellow means the light is changing, steady green means proceed with caution after checking the intersection is clear, and arrows apply the same rules to a specific direction. A flashing red requires a complete stop then proceed when clear, while a flashing yellow means slow down and proceed with caution. For lane-use signals, never drive under a red 'X', you may drive under a green arrow, a steady yellow 'X' means move out of the lane safely, and a flashing yellow 'X' or two-way left-turn arrows allow using that lane for a left turn shared with opposing left-turning vehicles.

Signs communicate through color and shape: red means stop, yield, do not enter, or wrong way; yellow warns of what to expect ahead; orange marks construction; green gives destinations and directions; blue shows services; and fluorescent yellow-green marks school, pedestrian, and bicycle areas. By shape, an octagon always means stop, a triangle means yield, a diamond warns of hazards ahead, a pennant marks a no-passing zone, a pentagon marks a school zone, and a round shape warns of a railroad crossing ahead. For pavement markings, yellow lines separate opposite-direction traffic while white lines separate same-direction traffic; a broken line may be crossed, a solid line discourages or prohibits crossing, and double solid yellow lines mean no passing either way (though you may turn left across them, for example into a driveway).