Missouri Road Signs Practice Test
Sharpen the skill the Written test (part of the four-part Missouri driver examination, which also includes vision, road sign, and driving tests) leans on most: 25 questions on road sign shapes, colors, and meanings, each explained in plain English. The real DOR Written test (part of the four-part Missouri driver examination, which also includes vision, road sign, and driving tests) has 25 questions, and you need 20 correct (80%) to pass.
Question 1 of 25
1. 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?
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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.
2. 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?
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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.
3. On a rural road at dusk you pass a yellow diamond sign showing a leaping deer. What is the proper response?
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Correct answer: A. A deer crossing sign marks a stretch where animals often enter the road, so slow down and watch the shoulders, particularly around dawn and dusk. Deer travel in groups, so one crossing usually means more are coming. Where there's one, expect another.
4. Only one road sign is shaped like a sideways pennant, a triangle with its point aimed to the right. Which sign is it?
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Correct answer: A. The sideways yellow pennant is used for one message only: NO PASSING ZONE. It stands on the left side of the road where passing begins to be unsafe. One shape, one meaning makes it instantly recognizable.
5. 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?
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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.
6. You see a red-and-white triangular sign reading YIELD as you approach a traffic circle. What should you do?
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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.
7. On any road sign, what does the color red always signal to drivers?
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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.
8. Which sign shape and color combination marks an interstate route?
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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.
9. You see a yellow diamond sign showing an arrow that bends left, then right, then left again. What does this sign tell you about the road ahead?
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Correct answer: C. A winding road sign warns of three or more curves in a row, while a single-bend arrow marks just one curve. Knowing the difference helps you hold a safe speed. Think: a wiggly arrow means the wiggles keep coming.
10. A yellow diamond sign ahead displays a bold T symbol. What does this sign mean you will have to do soon?
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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.
11. A wide white bar is painted across your lane just before an intersection with a stop sign. Where must you stop?
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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.
12. 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?
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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.
13. Without reading any words, what does a yellow, diamond-shaped sign always tell you?
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Correct answer: C. Yellow diamonds are warning signs: they alert you to hazards or changing conditions such as curves, intersections, or merging traffic. They advise rather than order. Shape and color alone should make you lift off the gas.
14. You have been driving through a no-passing zone. Which sign tells you the zone has ended and passing is allowed again when safe?
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Correct answer: D. A white regulatory sign reading PASS WITH CARE marks the end of a no-passing zone. You may pass again, but only when the road ahead is clear. The word CARE reminds you the choice is still yours to judge.
15. At a railroad crossing you see a white X-shaped sign reading RAILROAD CROSSING, with no gates or flashing signals. How should you treat it?
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Correct answer: B. The crossbuck is a regulatory sign that legally works like a yield sign at the tracks. Trains cannot swerve or stop quickly, so you must give way every time. At passive crossings, your eyes and ears are the only warning system.
16. A yellow diamond sign shows a car with wavy skid marks trailing behind its tires. When does this warning matter most?
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Correct answer: D. The skidding-car sign warns that the road ahead becomes slippery when wet, so slow down and avoid sudden braking or sharp steering in rain, snow, or ice. The first minutes of rain are often the slickest, as water lifts oil off the pavement.
17. You stop at a red light planning to turn right, and a white sign beside the signal reads NO TURN ON RED. What does the sign change?
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Correct answer: A. Many places allow a right turn on red after a complete stop, but a NO TURN ON RED sign removes that option. It appears where crosswalks or sight lines make red-light turns risky. When posted, red simply means wait.
18. Along a curb you see a white sign with a large letter P inside a red circle and slash. What does it tell you?
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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.
19. 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?
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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.
20. A yellow line runs down the middle of a two-lane road. What does the yellow color of a center line tell you?
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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.
21. Many regulatory signs show a picture inside a red circle crossed by a red diagonal slash. In general, what does that design mean?
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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.
22. While driving, you notice a brown sign with white letters pointing toward a destination. What kind of place does a brown sign identify?
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Correct answer: A. Brown signs guide you to recreational and cultural spots such as parks, campgrounds, monuments, and historic sites. The earthy brown color hints at outdoor places. When you are hunting for scenery or history, follow the brown signs.
23. A white vertical rectangle reads SPEED LIMIT 55. What does that number legally mean?
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Correct answer: C. A white rectangular speed limit sign is a regulatory sign, so the number is the maximum lawful speed in ideal conditions. Rain, fog, or heavy traffic can make even that speed illegal. Treat the posted number as a ceiling, never a target.
24. A yellow diamond-shaped sign ahead shows a black walking figure. As you approach the marked crossing, what is the required response?
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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. You reach a stop sign at an intersection that has a painted stop line. Where must you bring your vehicle to a complete stop?
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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.
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