Michigan DMV Permit Test Guide Signs and Route Markers Summary

Green stands for directions and guidance. Green signs tell you the way to towns, which exit to take, and how far you have to go.

Wrong choices

• Warnings about hazards: Warnings are yellow (or orange in work zones).
• Traffic laws you must obey: Rule signs are white with black or red.
• Services such as gas and food: Services are shown on blue signs.

Blue means service or hospitality. A blue sign with a gas pump shows gas stations, and other blue signs point to food, lodging, or rest areas with restrooms.

Wrong choices

• Directions to towns: Directions are on green signs.
• Road construction ahead: Construction signs are orange.
• Parks and historic sites: Those are on brown signs.

Brown signs tell you about places of recreation or cultural interest, such as a national park, a campground, or a historic site.

Wrong choices

• Detours around road work: Detour and work zone signs are orange.
• Schools and crosswalks: School signs are fluorescent yellow-green.
• Hospitals and police stations: Services like these are shown in blue.

Route markers identify federal, state, and county road systems. The Interstate marker shows that the road is an Interstate freeway. U.S. highways, Michigan state highways, and county roads each have their own marker.

Wrong choices

• A road inside a state park: Park roads are not marked with Interstate shields.
• A local city street: City streets use street-name signs.
• A county road: County roads have their own county route marker.

The blue Emergency Notification System (ENS) sign gives a phone number and the crossing's ID number. Use it to tell the railroad about an emergency or a warning device that is not working, such as a car stuck on the tracks. Railroad officials may be able to slow or stop trains.

Wrong choices

• To ask the railroad for driving directions: The sign is for emergencies and signal problems only.
• To buy passenger train tickets: It is an emergency notification sign, not a ticket line.
• To report a parking problem near the station: It is for emergencies at the crossing.

Watch the exit signs for the lane to use and signal early. Avoid slowing down on the freeway. Wait until you are fully in the deceleration lane, then slow down gradually.

Wrong choices

• Only after you reach the bottom of the ramp: Many ramps have sharp curves, so you need to slow down in the exit lane.
• On the freeway, before you move into the exit lane: Slowing on the freeway itself can cause a rear-end crash.
• After you stop on the shoulder to read the signs: Never stop on a freeway except in an emergency.

A blue sign is a service sign. The gas pump symbol tells you where to find a gas station, usually at the next exit.

Wrong choices

• A fuel spill is on the road ahead: Hazards are shown on yellow or pink signs, not blue.
• A truck weigh station is ahead: The symbol shows a fuel pump for drivers' use.
• Fueling is not allowed here: A ban would use a red circle and slash.

Michigan's state highways carry the letter M, such as M-32, on the state route marker. U.S. highways and Interstate freeways use different markers.

Wrong choices

• US (US-32): US is used for U.S. highways, which are federal routes with their own marker.
• H (H-32): Michigan does not use H for its state highways.
• S (S-32): Michigan does not use S for its state highways.

There are route markers for federal, state, and county road systems: the Interstate, U.S. highway, state highway, and county route markers. Each has its own design so you can tell what kind of road you are on.

Wrong choices

• Only state highways: Federal and county routes also have markers.
• Only county roads: Federal and state routes also have markers.
• Only Interstate and U.S. highways; state and county roads use street-name signs: State highways and county roads have route markers too.

Exit ramps often have sharp curves. The posted exit ramp speed tells you how fast you can safely take the ramp. Slow down to it in the deceleration lane.

Wrong choices

• It applies only to trucks: The ramp speed applies to all vehicles.
• It applies only when the ramp is wet: The ramp speed applies in all conditions.
• It is the minimum speed on the ramp: It is the top safe speed for the ramp, not a minimum.