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

This is one of the largest sections of the guide, covering pavement markings, the meaning of sign colors and shapes, and how traffic lights and arrows work. Together these tell you where you may drive, when you must stop, and what hazards lie ahead. Because so much of the driving test draws on this material, it helps to learn the markings, signs, and signals as three connected groups.

For pavement markings: broken lines may be crossed to pass, while solid lines should not be crossed to pass. Yellow lines separate traffic moving in opposite directions and white lines separate traffic moving in the same direction; two solid yellow center lines must never be crossed to pass. No-passing zones are marked with a solid yellow line on hills or curves, and a shared center (two-way left-turn) lane is marked by a solid yellow and a dashed yellow line on each side and is used by both directions for left turns. When required to stop, stop before the stop line, or if there is none, before the crosswalk.

Signs are grouped by color and shape: red means stop, yield, or prohibited; yellow warns of hazards (usually diamond-shaped); orange marks construction and work zones; white is regulatory; green and brown are guide and recreation signs; blue is for motorist services. Shapes include an octagon for stop, a triangle for yield, a pentagon for school, and a crossbuck for railroad. For signals, a red light means stop and after a full stop you may turn right on red if clear unless a sign prohibits it; a steady yellow means the light is changing to red; a green light means go but yield to traffic and pedestrians still in the intersection. A flashing red light means the same as a stop sign, a flashing yellow means slow down and proceed with caution, and dark or non-working signals operate as a four-way stop. For arrows, a green arrow lets you go in that direction when clear, a steady red arrow means stop, and a flashing yellow arrow means you may turn but must yield to a gap and to pedestrians.