Florida Road Signs (A Complete Guide) - Drive-Safely.net (2024)

Florida road signs are there for a reason.

And because of this, it’s important to familiarize yourself with them.

Also, you don’t want to get an annoying ticket just because you didn’t follow one sign.

Well, we’re here to help.

Today, we’re going to give you a complete guide to the Florida road signs. We’ll look at what the sign looks like, as well as its meaning.

So are you ready?

Let’s dive right in!

Florida Traffic Signs

Traffic signs vary in color, shape, and message. As the name suggests, they are primarily used to guide traffic, as well as give warnings or information.

Now, let’s understand all the traffic signs you can find on the streets of Florida.

Traffic Sign Colors

Color	Meaning	Sample Sign
Red	Stop, do not enter, yield to other vehicles, or wrong-way
Orange	Construction or maintenance ahead/on-going
Yellow	General warning of road conditions (e.g. slippery road ahead)
Fluorescent Yellow-Green	Area markers for schools, pedestrians, and bicycles
White / Black	Command signs for controlling traffic. Can be used to set limits
Green	Gives directional information
Blue	Driver guidance telling you about gasoline stations, dining places, and hotels/inns. Also used as a guide for disabled drivers
Brown	Area signs for public places such as parks, museums, and any historically significant landmarks

Traffic Sign Shapes

Shape	Meaning	Sample Sign
Octagon	Stop
Triangle	Yield
Diamond	Warning for existing or possible hazards
Pennant	No passing zones
Crossbuck	Railroad crossing
Round	Railroad advance warning
Pentagon	School advance/school crossing
Vertical Rectangle	Rules on the road
Horizontal Rectangle	Guide giving directional information

Florida Regulatory Signs

Now that you understand the traffic sign colors and shapes, let’s look at specific regulatory signs. These give a specific order as to what you should do on the road.

Name	Sample Sign	Meaning
Stop Sign		Make a complete halt at the stop line. For roads that have no stop lines, halt before the crosswalk. For roads that have no crosswalks, stop just before entering the intersection where you can see the traffic from different sides.
Four-way stop		You are approaching a 4-way intersection where all vehicles approaching has to stop. The vehicle that reaches the intersection first should move forward first. If vehicles arrive at the same time, the vehicle to the left should yield.
Yield		Slow down and let vehicles pass by giving them the right-of-way. If there are no vehicles, you can proceed slowly. There’s no need to stop.
Do Not Enter		Usually found on one-way roads. This sign is self-explanatory. It means that you are not allowed to enter, so you should turn around.
Wrong-Way		Turn around immediately because you are driving the wrong way.
No Passing		You are entering a no-passing zone.
Pass with Care		You can pass, but proceed with caution.
NO symbol		Shows what you cannot do. Most of these signs will have words that tell the action you’re not supposed to do.
No U-Turn		You cannot make a u-turn.
No Right Turn		You cannot make a right turn at the intersection.
Speed Limit		Your speed should be lower or equal to the number on the sign.
Speeding Fines Doubled		Fines are doubled if you are cited for speeding in the area. This sign is often found near school and work zones.
Must Turn		You should turn right or left. You cannot go straight.
One Way		One-way road ahead. You should follow the direction where the arrow is pointed.
Keep Right		Stay to the right of the divider.
No Turn on Red		You must wait for the green stoplight before turning right.
Left Lane Must Turn		Vehicles on the leftmost lane should make a left turn at the intersection. If the sign says ‘Right Lane Must Turn Right’, you should turn to the right at the intersection.
Turn Lanes		At the intersection ahead, vehicles in the leftmost lane should turn left. The next lane vehicles can turn to the left or go straight.
No Turns		You cannot go to the right or the left at the intersection.
Center Turn Lane		The center lane is shared by the two opposite lanes. It can be used for left turns.
Begin Right Turn		You must yield to bicyclists when you are turning right.
Exit Speed		Slow down to meet the maximum speed limit found on the sign.
Slower Traffic Keep Right		Slower vehicles should keep right or stay in the right lane, especially when they are being overtaken by a faster vehicle.
Restricted Lane Ahead		A lane ahead is reserved for specific purposes, such as buses or bikes during rush hour.
Emergency Stopping Only		You are only allowed to stop in this area if it is an emergency.
No Parking on Pavement		You cannot park on the pavement.
Parking by Disabled Permit Only		Parking in this space is reserved only for those who have an official disabled parking permit or who are transporting a person with a disability.
Move Over		When approaching any emergency or service vehicle with flashing lights, you must let the vehicle pass by moving to another lane. If this is not possible, you should reduce your speed to 20 mph below the speed limit in the area.

Florida Warning Signs

As we saw, warning signs are yellow and have a diamond shape. These signs give you a heads up on what to expect further down the road.

Name	Sample Sign	Meaning
Reduction of Lanes		There will be fewer lanes ahead so those in the rightmost lane should merge slowly with the vehicles on the left. Vehicles on the left should allow the ones on the right to merge.
Divided Highway Ahead		Keep to the right as there is a barrier ahead.
Divided Highway Ends		The divided highway ends 350-500 feet ahead. Expect to be in two-way traffic. Keep right.
Merging Traffic		Be ready to yield the right-of-way to merging traffic ahead.
Pavement Ends		Gravel or earth road ahead.
Low Clearance		Low clearance area ahead. If your vehicle is taller than the height on the sign, turn around or do not enter.
Slippery Surface		The road becomes slippery when wet, so drive slowly. Avoid speeding up or braking quickly.
Dip		There is a dip on the road ahead. Go slowly and be ready to turn around or move to the side of the dip that is filled with water.
Bicycle Crossing		There’s a bike lane crossing ahead. Be alert for bicyclists.
Pedestrian Crossing		Pedestrians crossing ahead. If there are people crossing, yield and let them pass.
Animal Crossing		Watch for animals that may cross the road. The animal depicted on the sign can change, depending on the common animal that crosses in that area.
Truck Crossing		Be alert for trucks entering the road or crossing.
Narrow Bridge		Stay in your lane when you’re on the bridge as it is only wide enough to accommodate two opposite lanes.
One Lane Bridge		The bridge ahead can only accommodate one lane. Make sure to check oncoming traffic before entering.
Soft Shoulder		Don’t leave the pavement because the ground at the side of the road is soft.
Right Curve		There’s a right curve ahead. Slow down and don’t overtake vehicles.
Double Curve		There is a double curve ahead (first to the right, then to the left). Slow down and don’t overtake.
Winding Road		There are several curves ahead. Slow down and do not overtake.
Cross Road		A road crosses the main highway where you’re at. Check the left and right as you approach the crossroad.
Side Road		Another road enters the highway where you’re at. Watch for approaching traffic to your side.
Sharp Right Turn		The road turns a sharp right turn. Reduce speed and do not overtake.
Hill/Downgrade		The road goes downhill ahead. Slow down and be ready to shift to a lower gear if needed.
Advisory Speed Sign		The highest speed you can go when turning is the one stated on the sign.
Speed Reduction Sign		There’s going to be a change in the speed limit ahead.
Yield Ahead		There will be a yield sign ahead so slow down and prepare to yield to traffic.
Traffic Signal Ahead		A traffic signal is right ahead.
Stop Sign Ahead		There is a stop sign ahead. Reduce speed and be ready to stop.
Two-Way Traffic Ahead		The one-way street you’re currently on will start to be a two-way street.
Roundabout Circle		There’s a roundabout ahead. Slow down and prepare to yield to oncoming traffic.

Florida Informational Signs

The last of the Florida traffic signs are informational signs. Let’s take a look at these.

Name	Sample Sign	Meaning
Green guide signs		Give information about directions and distance
Blue and white service signs		Let you know about services, dining places, gas stations, and motels
Brown and white signs		Give information on parks or places with historical significance
511 Traffic Information Service		Provides real-time traffic updates when the number is called

Florida Traffic Signals

Whether you’re a driver or not, we’re pretty sure you’re familiar with traffic signals (stoplights).

Red means stop. Yellow means prepare to stop. Green means go.

However, these signals are not just for vehicles. There are traffic signals for pedestrians, too. And these are what we’ll look at.

Name	Sample Sign	Meaning
Walk/walking person		You may cross the street.
Don’t Walk/Raised Hand		Don’t cross or enter the crosswalk. If you’re in the middle of the crosswalk when this shows, quickly cross the street.
Countdown		It is no longer safe to cross when you see the countdown starting. It starts with a don’t walk flashing light sign and ends with a don’t walk sign that’s steady.
Rectangular Rapid Flashing beacon		Push the button found on the street light by the sidewalk to signal that you are about to cross.
Yellow light		Whether it’s steady or flashing, this means that a pedestrian has activated the push button. Drivers should slow down and yield to pedestrians.
Red light		If it’s steady, drivers should stop and let the pedestrians pass. If it’s flashing and there are no pedestrians, proceed with caution.

Florida Zones of Caution

Zones of caution refer to construction/maintenance signs or signals. Here are the zones of caution signs in Florida.

Name	Sample Sign	Meaning
Construction and Maintenance Signs		These signs are often orange and diamond-shaped. This warns you of construction or maintenance happening ahead. You might see barricades or vertical panels on the road to keep traffic away from the construction site.
Flashing Arrow Panels		Gives oncoming traffic directions on where to go or if it is necessary to move to another lane.
Flaggers		While not exactly road signs, these are people who carry road signs in construction or maintenance zones. They will often wear reflective gear and have red flags or signs.

Florida Pavement Markings

Last but not least are pavement markings. Pavement markings are lines and symbols painted on the road to help direct traffic and guide drivers on when and where they can turn, park, or overtake.

Name	Sample Sign	Meaning
Edge Lines		Edge lines can be solid yellow or white lines. A solid white line marks the edge of the roadway to the right. A solid yellow line marks the left edge of the road in one-way streets and highways.
White Lane Lines		Single broken white lines are found in same-direction lanes. You may cross this line to overtake. Single solid white lines mean you can’t overtake since it may be a hazard to do so. Double solid white lines mean crossing or changing lanes is not allowed
Yellow Lane Lines		Single broken yellow lines direct you to stay to the right of the line. You may cross this line on the left to overtake the car ahead of you. Double solid yellow lines mean vehicles in opposite directions are not allowed to cross the lines Double yellow solid lines with a broken line on the right/left mean passing/crossing is not allowed where the line is solid
Turn Lanes		Marked with either a curved arrow or two curved arrows. For one curved arrow, it shows which direction you’re only allowed to turn. For two curved arrows, drivers from either direction can take left turns.
Reversible Lanes		Found on some highways where traffic lanes can be changed to manage rush-hour traffic
Bicycle Lanes		Exclusive bike lanes are solid white and usually have a bike symbol on the road Shared-use lanes are also known as sharrows. This lane is for both motorists and cyclists
White Stop Lines and Crosswalks		White stop lines are found just before a crosswalk. This indicates that you should stop behind the line to make way for pedestrians. Crosswalks are marked with solid white lines or diagonal lines. This is where pedestrians should cross.

Summary

That was your complete guide to Florida road signs.

Yes, there are a lot of signs to take in. However, most of them are pretty self-explanatory by themselves.

So make sure you look out for these signs and follow them.

Remember, they are all there for a reason.

Safe driving!