PA · STUDY GUIDE
Signals, Signs & Markings
Signals, sign shapes and colors, and pavement markings — Chapter 2 material, shown visually the way the real test shows it. This guide has 82 questions, each citing the PA manual section it comes from — the first 18 are free to read below.
1 · TRAFFIC SIGNALS
On a vertical Pennsylvania traffic signal, the red light is:
- ✓ At the top
- · At the bottom
- · In the middle
- · On the right
Traffic signals are standardized so red is on top and green is on the bottom when arranged vertically.
📖 PA Manual · Current online manual · Ch. 2 · Signals (print PUB 95 pp. 7-9)2 · TRAFFIC SIGNALS
On a horizontal traffic signal, the red light is:
- ✓ On the left
- · On the right
- · In the center
- · Below the green
When signals are horizontal, red is on the left and green is on the right.
📖 PA Manual · Current online manual · Ch. 2 · Signals (print PUB 95 pp. 7-9)3 · TRAFFIC SIGNALS
At a steady red light, you must stop:
- ✓ Before the stop line or crosswalk, or before entering the intersection if neither exists
- · In the middle of the crosswalk
- · After entering the intersection
- · Only if cross traffic is present
A steady red requires a full stop at the proper stopping point.
📖 PA Manual · Current online manual · Ch. 2 · Signals (print PUB 95 pp. 7-9)4 · TRAFFIC SIGNALS
A right turn on red is generally permitted after a complete stop when:
- ✓ No NO TURN ON RED sign prohibits it and you yield to pedestrians and traffic
- · You slow to 5 mph
- · You are in a school zone
- · The vehicle behind you honks
Pennsylvania generally allows a right turn on red after stopping and yielding, unless a sign prohibits the turn.
📖 PA Manual · Current online manual · Ch. 2 · Signals (print PUB 95 pp. 7-9)5 · TRAFFIC SIGNALS
A left turn on red may be made when:
- ✓ Turning from a one-way street onto another one-way street after stopping and yielding, unless prohibited
- · Turning from any two-way street
- · Turning from a one-way street onto a two-way street
- · Never under any condition
Pennsylvania allows a left-on-red from one one-way street to another after a full stop and proper yielding, unless a sign prohibits it.
📖 PA Manual · Current online manual · Ch. 2 · Signals (print PUB 95 pp. 7-9)6 · TRAFFIC SIGNALS
A steady yellow light means:
- ✓ A steady red light will soon appear; slow and prepare to stop if you can do so safely
- · Speed up before red
- · Stop immediately even if already in the intersection
- · Cross traffic has a green arrow
Yellow warns that red is next. If you are already in the intersection or cannot stop safely, proceed carefully.
📖 PA Manual · Current online manual · Ch. 2 · Signals (print PUB 95 pp. 7-9)7 · TRAFFIC SIGNALS
A steady green light means:
- ✓ You may proceed if the road is clear, while still yielding as required
- · You have absolute right-of-way
- · Pedestrians must always wait
- · You may ignore turn restrictions
Green permits movement, but drivers still must yield to pedestrians and other traffic when required.
📖 PA Manual · Current online manual · Ch. 2 · Signals (print PUB 95 pp. 7-9)8 · TRAFFIC SIGNALS
A steady red arrow means:
- ✓ Stop; turns-on-red that would be legal at a steady red signal may still be made after stopping and yielding
- · Never turn in the arrow direction under any condition
- · Proceed if no traffic is visible
- · Treat it as a flashing yellow arrow
PennDOT's current online manual states that the same turns-on-red permitted at a steady red signal are permitted at a steady red arrow.
📖 PA Manual · Current online manual · Ch. 2 · Signals (print PUB 95 pp. 7-9)9 · TRAFFIC SIGNALS
A steady yellow arrow tells you:
- ✓ The protected or permitted arrow movement is ending and red will follow
- · The turn is prohibited forever
- · You have a protected turn
- · You must speed up
A steady yellow arrow warns that the arrow phase is ending; prepare to stop if it can be done safely.
📖 PA Manual · Current online manual · Ch. 2 · Signals (print PUB 95 pp. 7-9)10 · TRAFFIC SIGNALS
A steady green arrow means:
- ✓ You may turn in the arrow's direction; the turn is protected from oncoming traffic
- · You may travel in any direction
- · You must stop before turning
- · Pedestrians never have priority
A green arrow gives a protected movement in the indicated direction, but you must still drive carefully and obey applicable yielding rules.
📖 PA Manual · Current online manual · Ch. 2 · Signals (print PUB 95 pp. 7-9)11 · TRAFFIC SIGNALS
A flashing red traffic light has the same meaning as:
- ✓ A STOP sign
- · A YIELD sign
- · A steady green light
- · A lane-closed signal
Come to a complete stop, look both ways, and proceed only when the intersection is clear.
📖 PA Manual · Current online manual · Ch. 2 · Signals (print PUB 95 pp. 7-9)12 · TRAFFIC SIGNALS
A flashing yellow traffic light means:
- ✓ Slow down and proceed with caution
- · Come to a full stop
- · The road is closed
- · Make a protected turn
Flashing yellow is a caution signal rather than a mandatory stop.
📖 PA Manual · Current online manual · Ch. 2 · Signals (print PUB 95 pp. 7-9)13 · TRAFFIC SIGNALS
A flashing yellow arrow means:
- ✓ You may turn in the arrow's direction after yielding to oncoming traffic and pedestrians
- · The turn is protected
- · You must stop before turning
- · The turn is prohibited
A flashing yellow arrow permits the turn but it is not protected; oncoming traffic may have a green light.
📖 PA Manual · Current online manual · Ch. 2 · Signals (print PUB 95 pp. 7-9)14 · TRAFFIC SIGNALS
A completely non-functioning traffic signal should be treated as:
- ✓ A four-way STOP sign
- · A flashing yellow signal
- · An uncontrolled intersection with no stop
- · A green light for the larger road
PennDOT directs drivers to treat a non-functioning traffic signal as a four-way stop.
📖 PA Manual · Current online manual · Ch. 2 · Signals (print PUB 95 pp. 7-9)15 · TRAFFIC SIGNALS
A ramp-metering signal is used to:
- ✓ Control the flow of vehicles entering a congested highway
- · Close a school zone
- · Control railroad traffic
- · Indicate a parking lane
Ramp meters alternate red and green to regulate how vehicles enter busy highways.
📖 PA Manual · Current online manual · Ch. 2 · Signals (print PUB 95 pp. 7-9)16 · TRAFFIC SIGNALS
At a ramp-metering signal showing steady red, you must:
- ✓ Wait for the green signal before entering the highway
- · Merge immediately
- · Treat red as a yield
- · Back down the ramp
Ramp-metering signals must be obeyed just like other traffic controls.
📖 PA Manual · Current online manual · Ch. 2 · Signals (print PUB 95 pp. 7-9)17 · LANE CONTROL
A steady red X over a lane means:
- ✓ Do not use that lane
- · The lane is open
- · Left turns only
- · The lane is for buses
A red X closes the lane to traffic.
📖 PA Manual · Current online manual · Ch. 2 · Signals (print PUB 95 pp. 7-9)18 · LANE CONTROL
A steady white one-way left-turn arrow above a lane means:
- ✓ You may only turn left from that lane
- · The lane is open for through traffic
- · Right turns only
- · The lane is closed
The overhead white left-turn arrow designates a left-turn-only lane.
📖 PA Manual · Current online manual · Ch. 2 · Signals (print PUB 95 pp. 7-9)Tip: use your ← and → arrow keys
FullPass is an independent study aid. Questions are reviewed against the cited official PA driver's manual; the state licensing agency remains the final authority.