Use the diagram to predict where traffic can appear
Junction warnings show the shape and relationship of intersecting roads: crossroad, priority or secondary crossroad, T-junction, skew T, side road, staggered junctions, sharp-angle junction and Y-junction. Compare the branches with the road ahead so that you know where to look for vehicles entering or crossing.
A thicker route in a junction diagram identifies the priority route in the warning illustration; it does not remove the need to obey the actual STOP, YIELD or signal at the junction. A sharp-angle junction can hide traffic behind a pillar or mirror, so look deliberately before entering its conflict area.
Beginning- and end-of-dual-roadway warnings show the side on which carriageways divide or join. At an ending, expect opposing traffic to be closer and be prepared for a reduced separation; at a beginning, choose your lawful lane without cutting across other vehicles.
Separate bend shape from the action you need
Traffic-circle warnings prepare you for the circle and its actual entry control. Curve signs distinguish gentle curves, sharp curves and hairpin bends, with the arrow showing the first direction. Winding-road and combined-curve signs warn that correcting for the first bend is not the end of the hazard.
Reduce speed before the bend, choose a suitable gear and maintain your lane through it. The sign describes the geometry, not a guarantee that your present speed is safe. Rain, gravel, a heavy load or limited visibility may require a much lower speed.
Two-way-traffic warnings identify opposing traffic on your road or at a crossroad. Lane-end warnings identify the side that will disappear; check mirrors, signal and merge into a safe gap early. Concealed-driveway warnings show traffic entering from left, right or both sides where the access may not be visible yet.
Expect someone to stop, cross or enter your path
Traffic-signals, STOP and YIELD ahead signs warn that a control is approaching; they do not replace that control. Temporary control, scholar-patrol and STOP/GO ahead signs require you to be ready for a queue and a stop before the work or crossing area.
Pedestrian-crossing, pedestrians, children and cyclist warnings differ in the road users and crossing situation depicted. Scan verges, parked vehicles and crossing approaches, leave adequate space and reduce speed so that you can stop for a developing conflict.
Domestic-animal, wildlife, horse-and-rider, elephant, warthog and hippopotamus warnings identify likely unpredictable movement. Slow and give space; do not assume an animal will stay on the verge or that a rider can instantly control its movement. Agricultural vehicles, slow heavy vehicles and truck-crossing signs warn of traffic that may enter slowly or occupy more of the road.
Match the response to the physical hazard
A gate, motor gate, railway crossing or tunnel can reduce escape options. Check restrictions and queues early. Height, length and width warnings require a vehicle-dimension check before the narrowing or bend, not an attempt to test whether the load will fit.
Steep ascent and descent signs indicate the gradient and its direction. Select a suitable gear before a long descent and manage speed without relying on continuous heavy braking. Narrow bridges, one-vehicle-width structures and narrowing from either or both sides require reduced speed and a safe order of passage.
Gravel begins/ends, uneven road, speed humps, slippery surface, loose stones, surface steps and soft shoulders change grip or stability. Slow before the affected surface, avoid abrupt steering and allow extra space. Falling rocks can be on the carriageway even when no rock is currently falling.
- Roadworks and grader-working warnings require room for workers and moving machinery; follow the temporary route and actual controller.
- A general-warning triangle must be read with its message, such as potholes. Reduced visibility and congestion require speed and following-distance adjustments before the queue or obscured section.
- Jetty/river-edge, crosswind, low-flying-aircraft and electrical-shock signs identify different hazards: avoid the unprotected edge, prepare for lateral gusts, maintain concentration, and respect clearance/electrical warnings respectively.
- Collision, emergency flashing-light and temporary police-light warnings call for a controlled approach. They do not authorise passing a control or following an emergency vehicle through a gap.
Markers show the hazard itself
Danger and delineator plates identify the edge or side of an obstruction. Chevron arrows show the direction to follow around a sharp curve; left and right versions must not be reversed. A T-junction chevron identifies the end of the approach, not permission to continue straight.
Railway crossbucks distinguish the crossing and the presence of more than one track. Look and listen for another train before proceeding after a first train passes. A dead-end/road-closed chevron or temporary barricade marks an obstruction or closure: do not drive through it.
A traffic-signals-out-of-order board warns that the ordinary signal control is not operating. Treat the junction as an all-way stop, stop on your approach and proceed in arrival order only when safe. Do not assume the route with the widest road has priority.