Michigan DMV Permit Test Warning, School, Railroad, and Work Zone Signs Summary

The only round sign is the railroad advance warning sign. It warns that a railroad crossing is ahead. Slow down, look and listen for trains, and be ready to stop.

Wrong choices

• Railroad tracks run beside the road, with no crossing: This sign warns that you will cross tracks ahead.
• The road is closed ahead: Road closures do not use this round sign.
• An intersection with a four-way stop is ahead: An intersection warning is a yellow diamond. The round yellow sign is used only for railroads.

The pentagon shape is used for school signs, and fluorescent yellow-green is the color for school, pedestrian, and bicycle cautions. Drive carefully, watch for children, and obey any school crossing guard.

Wrong choices

• A bus stop is ahead: Bus stops are not shown with this five-sided sign.
• A hiking trail crosses ahead: Recreation signs are brown.
• Pedestrians are not allowed on this road: A ban would use a red circle and slash, not a yellow-green pentagon.

The diamond shape means warning, and yellow means caution or general warning. These signs tell you about a hazard or change ahead, such as a curve, a merge, or a crossing.

Wrong choices

• A red octagon with white letters: That is the STOP sign.
• A green rectangle with white letters: That is a guide sign giving directions.
• A white rectangle with black letters: That is the usual look of a regulatory (rule) sign.

Orange means caution for construction or maintenance. Work zone warning signs are diamonds with black letters on orange (or yellow). Part of a lane, a whole lane, or the whole road may be blocked.

Wrong choices

• A school zone is ahead: School signs are fluorescent yellow-green.
• Gas and food are available at the next exit: Service signs are blue.
• A recreation area is nearby: Recreation signs are brown.

When a train is coming, every vehicle must stop no more than 50 feet and no less than 15 feet from the tracks. Trains overhang the rails by at least three feet on each side, and cargo may stick out even farther.

Wrong choices

• Right at the edge of the nearest rail: Trains overhang the tracks by at least three feet, so stopping right at the rail is dangerous.
• At least 100 feet back from the tracks: The law sets a range of 15 to 50 feet.
• At the sign itself, wherever it is posted: The sign is posted well before the crossing; you stop near the tracks, 15 to 50 feet away.

Fluorescent yellow-green is used for school, pedestrian, or bicycle cautions. The bright color helps these signs stand out so you watch for people walking or riding.

Wrong choices

• Road construction: Construction signs are orange.
• Freeway exits: Exit information is on green guide signs.
• Railroad crossings: The railroad advance sign is round and yellow.

Slow-moving vehicles cannot travel faster than 25 mph. Examples are Amish buggies, farm machinery, and construction equipment. They show an orange triangle on the back. Be patient; the driver will usually pull over when possible.

Wrong choices

• It is driven by a student driver: The emblem marks the vehicle's speed limit, not the driver.
• It is an emergency vehicle: Emergency vehicles use flashing lights and sirens.
• It is carrying hazardous materials: The orange triangle shows limited speed, not cargo.

Deer crossing signs warn that deer often cross there. Slow down and stay alert, especially at dawn and dusk and in fall and spring. If you see one deer, expect others nearby.

Wrong choices

• Pull over and wait for deer to cross: The sign warns you to watch; it does not tell you to stop.
• Flash your high beams and honk to scare deer away: Horns, high beams, and deer whistles do not keep deer away.
• Speed up to get through the area quickly: Higher speed gives you less time to react.

The crossbuck is the white X-shaped sign that marks a railroad crossing right at the tracks. At crossings without lights or gates, it may come with a YIELD or STOP sign.

Wrong choices

• At the start of a school zone: School signs are five-sided.
• Before a narrow bridge: A crossbuck is used only at railroad crossings.
• Well before the crossing, as an early warning: The early warning is the round yellow sign; the crossbuck stands at the tracks.

The pennant-shaped sign is the NO PASSING ZONE warning. It is yellow and placed on the left side of the road, where a driver looking to pass will see it. It warns that conditions make passing dangerous.

Wrong choices

• Over the center of the road on a frame: It is mounted at the left roadside, not overhead.
• The right side of the road, beside the shoulder: Most signs are on the right, but this pennant is placed on the left so drivers about to pass see it.
• On the back of slow-moving vehicles: The emblem on slow vehicles is an orange triangle, not this pennant.