Differences in Regulatory and Warning Road Signs

Road signs help to keep drivers safe on the road. If there were not any stop signs a lot of accidents would occur. Regulatory and warning signs assist in reducing the number of accidents and aid drivers in knowing the direction to turn, and what areas to avoid.

Warning Signs

Warning signs alert motorists of dangers up ahead. These signs let drivers prepare for hazards and the driver knows to slow down and proceed with caution. Most of these signs are orange or yellow in color. These signs utilize a diamond shape and feature black writing. However, not all of them are written. Sometimes, these feature a pictogram to advise drivers.

Regulatory Signs

Regulatory signs are meant to provide motorists with regulations of what they should be doing, as well as what they shouldn't be doing. Much of the regulatory signs are four-side shapes like squares and rectangles. You can identify these signs by the black or red writing. Not all regulatory signs include a caption or any form of writing. Some depict the dos and don'ts of the highway using pictures and symbols such as the international "No" symbol.

Examples

A stop sign is a perfect example of a regulatory sign. It does not warn about anything, but it does allow you as a motorist to know to stop. Other regulatory signs include speed limit signs. These may not indicate hazard, but do inform drivers of how fast they can go and still remain safe. Warning signs include slippery road signs, divided around ahead signs, deer crossing signs and construction signs.