Traffic Sign Categories

In United States and Canada traffic signs are divided into 8 main categories:

• Regulatory signs
• Warning signs
• Guide signs
• Street signs
• Route marker signs
• Expressway signs
• Freeway signs
• Welcome signs
• Informational signs
• Recreation and cultural interest signs
• Emergency management (civil defense) signs
• Temporary traffic control (construction or work zone) signs
• School signs
• Railroad and light rail signs
• Bicycle signs

Color schemes

In North America traffic signs have specific colors designated to sign categories:

• brown with white - for signs to parks, historic sites, ski areas, forests, and campgrounds
• red with white - for stop signs, yield, and forbidden actions (such as No Parking)
• yellow with black letters and symbols - for warning signs, such as curves and school zones
• green with white letters - for informational signs, such as directions, distances, and places
• blue with white - for rest areas, food, gasoline or petrol, hospitals, lodging, and other services
• black with white - for commercial, exempt, special, and signs which were used in the past
• white with black (or red letters) - for regulatory signs, such as speed limits (or parking)
• orange with black letters - for temporary traffic control zones and detours associated with road construction
• purple - for lanes restricted to use only by vehicles with registered electronic toll collection (ETC) accounts