Traffic Signs and Signals — Tennessee Driver's License Practice Test

Traffic signs, signals, and pavement markings are the language of the road, and this is one of the biggest sections on the test. The good news is that signs are designed so you can often read them by shape and color before you even read the words — an octagon always means stop, a triangle always means yield. Learning those patterns gives you a head start on every question.

Colors and shapes carry consistent meaning. Red means stop, yield, or do not enter; yellow is a general warning; orange marks construction zones; green gives guidance and directions; blue points to services; brown marks recreation areas. The octagon is stop, the triangle is yield, the diamond warns of a hazard ahead, a round sign warns of a railroad crossing, and a rectangle carries regulations or guidance. A white background with a red circle and slash means "no" — no turn, no trucks, and so on.

Traffic signals and road markings finish the picture. Standard lights run red, yellow, green from top to bottom; a red light means stop, and unless posted otherwise you may turn right on red after a full stop when it is clear. A flashing red is treated like a stop sign, a flashing yellow means slow and proceed with caution, and if a signal is completely dark you treat the intersection as an all-way stop. On the pavement, yellow lines separate traffic going opposite directions and white lines separate traffic going the same way — a broken line means passing or crossing may be allowed, a solid line means stay put.