Minnesota Road Signs Practice Test
Sharpen the skill the Class D written test leans on most: 25 questions on road sign shapes, colors, and meanings, each explained in plain English. You need 80% correct to pass the real DVS Class D written test.
Question 1 of 25
1. Many regulatory signs show a picture inside a red circle crossed by a red diagonal slash. In general, what does that design mean?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: D. In the MUTCD symbol system, a red circle with a diagonal slash over any picture means that action is not allowed, such as no trucks or no bicycles. It works without words, so drivers of any language understand instantly. Slash means stop doing it.
2. You see a white square sign showing a curved U-shaped arrow inside a red circle with a slash through it. What is prohibited?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: B. The slashed U-arrow bans U-turns at that location, usually because oncoming drivers cannot see you turn around in time. Continue to a spot where reversing direction is legal and safe. Red circle plus slash always means the pictured move is forbidden.
3. Orange signs, cones, and barrels suddenly appear along the highway. What does the color orange always tell you?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: B. Orange is reserved for temporary traffic control, meaning construction and maintenance zones. Workers, machines, and lane shifts may appear with little warning, so slow down and stay alert. When you see orange, think people at work.
4. At the top of a ramp you see a square sign with a red circle and a white horizontal bar reading DO NOT ENTER. What does it mean?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: A. DO NOT ENTER marks a roadway where traffic flows toward you, such as an exit ramp or one-way street. Entering it risks a head-on crash. If you have already turned in and see WRONG WAY, pull over and turn around safely.
5. On any road sign, what does the color red always signal to drivers?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: D. Red is reserved for the strongest commands: stop, yield, do not enter, and wrong way. It marks actions that are forbidden or must halt. When red appears, something about your movement has to change right now.
6. On a highway, you look for the way to your destination city. What kind of information do signs with a green background give you?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: D. Green guide signs point the way, listing destinations, how many miles remain, and which exits to take. They inform rather than command, so no action is required. Think of green as the color that says go this way.
7. You reach a stop sign at an intersection that has a painted stop line. Where must you bring your vehicle to a complete stop?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: A. At a stop sign you must stop completely before the stop line; with no line, stop before the crosswalk or the intersection edge. Stopping short protects people in the crosswalk. If you need a better view, creep forward only after the full stop.
8. Wide white stripes cross the pavement ahead, marking a crosswalk. What do these markings require of you as a driver?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C. Crosswalk stripes show where pedestrians are expected to cross, and drivers must yield to people within them. You stop only when someone is crossing or a sign or signal requires it. Painted stripes mean feet ahead.
9. A yellow line runs down the middle of a two-lane road. What does the yellow color of a center line tell you?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: A. Yellow center lines separate traffic moving in opposite directions, so anything across that line is oncoming. This color code works the same on every public road. Yellow in the middle means traffic meets there, not follows.
10. You see a red-and-white triangular sign reading YIELD as you approach a traffic circle. What should you do?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: B. A yield sign tells you to slow down, check for traffic with the right-of-way, and stop only when necessary to let it pass. It keeps merges smooth without forcing pointless stops. Think of yield as give way, not always stop.
11. In a work zone, an orange sign warns of a flagger ahead. The flagger signals you to stop, even though the traffic light beyond is green. What should you do?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C. Flaggers control traffic through work zones, and you must obey their directions even when they conflict with posted signs or signals. They can see hazards you cannot. Remember: in a work zone, the person outranks the light.
12. A yellow diamond sign ahead displays a bold T symbol. What does this sign mean you will have to do soon?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: D. A T-symbol warning means your road dead-ends at a cross street, so you must slow, yield to crossing traffic, and turn left or right. The letter T shows exactly how the roads meet ahead.
13. A wide white bar is painted across your lane just before an intersection with a stop sign. Where must you stop?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: D. A stop line marks the exact place to stop: bring your vehicle to a halt before the bar, not on or past it. It keeps you clear of crosswalks and cross traffic. The bar is the boundary.
14. Ahead of a raised concrete median you see a white sign reading KEEP RIGHT with an arrow curving to the right. What should you do?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: A. KEEP RIGHT tells you the roadway splits around an island, median, or obstruction, and all traffic must pass on the right side. Passing left would put you into oncoming lanes. Follow the arrow around the obstacle, then continue straight.
15. Small green signs with numbers appear every mile along the edge of the highway. What are these mile markers mainly used for?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C. Mile markers count the distance across a route, letting you track your progress, judge how far your exit is, and give an exact location when you call for help. Note the nearest marker whenever trouble starts.
16. Which sign shape and color combination marks an interstate route?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: D. Interstate routes are marked by a shield split into a red band on top and a blue field below, with white numbers. Spotting the shield quickly helps you follow or avoid a freeway. Shield equals interstate.
17. You see a five-sided sign shaped like a schoolhouse outline, in fluorescent yellow-green, showing two walking figures. What does the pentagon shape identify?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: D. The pentagon shape is reserved for school signs, warning of a school zone or crossing where children may be walking. The fluorescent yellow-green color grabs attention near schools. Think of the five-sided shape as a little schoolhouse to remember it.
18. On a highway you pass a white regulatory sign reading MINIMUM SPEED 40. Why is that sign posted?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: D. A minimum speed sign requires you to travel at least the posted speed when conditions allow. Highways post it because vehicles moving far below the flow cause rear-end and lane-change crashes. Too slow can be as dangerous as too fast.
19. Along a curb you see a white sign with a large letter P inside a red circle and slash. What does it tell you?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C. A P covered by a red circle and slash is the international no-parking symbol, banning parking where the sign applies. It keeps curbs clear for visibility, hydrants, and traffic flow. Any symbol wearing the red slash is something you cannot do.
20. A yellow diamond sign ahead shows a plus symbol, like a small cross. What is this sign warning you about?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: A. The crossroad symbol warns that a full intersection is ahead, so vehicles may pull out or turn from the left or right. Slow down and scan both directions. Picture the plus sign as two roads meeting.
21. One sign shape is so important that it is reserved for a single message: STOP. Which shape is it?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: B. The eight-sided octagon belongs to the stop sign alone, so you can recognize a stop even when the face is snow-covered or faded. Count eight sides, prepare to stop. No other sign may borrow this shape.
22. A solid white line, instead of a broken one, separates your lane from the next lane going the same way. What is it telling you?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: A. A solid white line between same-direction lanes discourages lane changes, and it appears where drifting is risky, such as near intersections and ramps. The firmer the line looks, the firmer the message: hold your lane.
23. You are driving on a road with few traffic lights when you see a yellow diamond sign showing a traffic signal symbol. Why is this sign posted, and how should you respond?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: B. Signal-ahead warnings are posted where a traffic light may surprise drivers, such as after a long stretch without one or where a hill blocks the view. Ease off the gas early so a sudden red light cannot catch you.
24. A yellow diamond-shaped sign ahead shows a black walking figure. As you approach the marked crossing, what is the required response?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: B. A pedestrian crossing warning sign means people may be entering the roadway ahead, so reduce speed and prepare to stop. Pedestrians always lose in a collision with a car. Treat the walking figure as a person already stepping off the curb.
25. A yellow diamond sign shows two arrows curving apart around an oval island. What is this sign telling you about the road ahead?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: D. The divided highway begins sign means opposing traffic will soon be separated by a median or barrier. Stay right of the divider and do not cross it. Picture the two arrows as lanes splitting around an island you must not enter.
Your result
0 / 25