Traffic Signs — Questions & Answers

Triangular warning sign: pedestrian crossing ahead. Slow down and prepare to stop.

This sign warns of a school or children crossing ahead. Reduce speed and watch for children.

Camel warning sign: common in Saudi Arabia. Camels on or near the road are a serious hazard. Reduce speed immediately.

Slippery road ahead — especially in wet weather. Reduce speed and avoid sudden braking or steering.

An exclamation mark in a warning triangle indicates a general hazard that does not fit a specific category. Proceed with caution.

Railway level crossing ahead. Slow down, look both ways, and be ready to stop if a train approaches.

Speed bump ahead. Reduce speed before reaching it to avoid vehicle damage and maintain control.

Junction or fork ahead. Prepare to choose the correct route and watch for merging traffic.

Sharp bend or curve ahead. Reduce speed BEFORE the bend — never brake while turning.

No entry: red circle with white horizontal bar prohibits all vehicles from entering from this direction.

No U-turn: making a U-turn here is a traffic violation subject to fine and demerit points.

No parking: leaving a vehicle parked here is prohibited. Brief stopping may still be permitted.

No overtaking: all vehicles are prohibited from overtaking in this section of road.

Speed limit signs show the maximum permitted speed in km/h. This zone: maximum 40 km/h.

80 km/h is the standard maximum speed inside urban areas in Saudi Arabia.

120 km/h is the standard maximum speed on Saudi highways for small private vehicles.

Blue circular mandatory signs: a right arrow means you MUST turn right — no other option.

Mandatory signs must be obeyed. Ignoring one is a traffic violation with fines and demerit points.

This mandatory sign requires drivers to continue straight ahead — turning is not permitted here.

STOP sign requires a complete stop — not just slowing. Proceed only when the way is safe.

Give way (inverted triangle): yield to all traffic on the road you are joining. Stop if necessary.

Warning signs are triangular (pointing up) with a yellow background and black border.

Saudi warning signs have a WHITE background with black symbols and a RED triangular border — as shown in the official Moroor handbook. Yellow is used for temporary work zone signs only.

Blue circular signs carry mandatory instructions. Disobeying them is a traffic violation.

Highway guidance signs use a green background — the international standard for motorway information.

Prohibitory signs: white circle with red border. A red diagonal slash means the action is prohibited.

Give way: inverted triangle (pointing down) with red border — distinct from upward-pointing warning signs.

A red diagonal slash means that action is prohibited (e.g. P with slash = no parking).

The stop sign is octagonal and red — universally recognised and internationally standardised.

Traffic officer instructions always override traffic lights — even a green light.

Triangular warning sign: crossroads ahead. Slow down and be ready to give way as required.

Triangular warning sign: side road on the left. Watch for vehicles entering from the side road.

Triangular warning sign: side road on the right. Watch for vehicles entering from the side road.

Triangular warning sign: roundabout ahead. Slow down and give way to traffic already in the roundabout.

Triangular warning sign: traffic merging from the left. Check your mirrors — vehicles may join from the left.

Triangular warning sign: traffic merging from the right. Check your mirrors — vehicles may join from the right.

Triangular warning sign: sharp bend to the left. Reduce speed well before the bend.

Triangular warning sign: sharp bend to the right. Reduce speed well before the bend.

Triangular warning sign: turn to the left. A gentler turn than a sharp bend — ease off speed.

Triangular warning sign: turn to the right. A gentler turn than a sharp bend — ease off speed.

Triangular warning sign: double bend, first to the left. Two bends in a row — the first curves left.

Triangular warning sign: double bend, first to the right. Two bends in a row — the first curves right.

Triangular warning sign: chevron — direction of bend. Placed on the bend itself to mark its direction.

Triangular warning sign: double chevron. Marks a sharper bend than a single chevron.

Triangular warning sign: children crossing. Slow down near schools and residential areas.

Triangular warning sign: cyclists crossing. Watch for cyclists crossing the road ahead.

Triangular warning sign: cattle crossing. Livestock may be on or crossing the road ahead.

Triangular warning sign: series of bumps. Multiple bumps ahead — slow down and keep a steady speed.

Triangular warning sign: uneven road surface. The road surface ahead is rough or uneven.

Triangular warning sign: loose gravel. Reduced grip ahead — loose stones on the surface.

Triangular warning sign: soft verge. The road edge is soft — do not drive onto it.

Triangular warning sign: road narrows. The road ahead becomes narrower.

Triangular warning sign: road narrows from both sides. The road narrows from both sides at once.

Triangular warning sign: road narrows from the left. The road narrows from the left side only.

Triangular warning sign: road narrows from the right. The road narrows from the right side only.

Triangular warning sign: narrow bridge. A narrow bridge ahead may not fit two vehicles side by side.

Triangular warning sign: single-lane bridge. Only one vehicle can cross the bridge at a time — give way as required.

Triangular warning sign: steep ascent. A steep climb ahead — heavy vehicles may slow significantly.

Triangular warning sign: steep descent. A steep downhill ahead — use a lower gear and control your speed.

Triangular warning sign: tunnel ahead. A tunnel ahead — headlights may be required.

Triangular warning sign: crosswind. Strong sideways wind possible, especially for high-sided vehicles.

Triangular warning sign: falling rocks. Rocks may fall onto the road from the slope ahead.

Triangular warning sign: drifting sand. Sand may drift across the road, reducing visibility and grip.

Triangular warning sign: water crossing. The road crosses a watercourse — may flood in heavy rain.

Triangular warning sign: road runs alongside water. The road runs alongside water — stay within the lane.

Triangular warning sign: two-way traffic. Oncoming traffic uses the same road in both directions.

Triangular warning sign: two-way traffic begins. A divided road ends — oncoming traffic now shares your side.

Triangular warning sign: two-way traffic ends. Two-way traffic ends — the road becomes divided again.

Triangular warning sign: traffic signals ahead. Traffic signals are ahead — be ready to stop.

Triangular warning sign: stop sign ahead. A stop sign is ahead — begin slowing down now.

Triangular warning sign: give way ahead. A give-way sign is ahead — be ready to yield.

Triangular warning sign: low-flying aircraft. Aircraft may fly low near the road, typically close to an airport.

Triangular warning sign: overhead power lines. Power lines cross overhead — relevant for tall or loaded vehicles.

Triangular warning sign: fire station. A fire station exit is nearby — give way to emergency vehicles.

Triangular warning sign: height restriction ahead. A height restriction is ahead — tall vehicles may not fit.

Prohibitory sign (circular sign, red border, white background): no vehicles. A general ban on all vehicle types, not one specific class.

Prohibitory sign (circular sign, red border, white background): no motor vehicles. Engine-powered vehicles are banned; bicycles and animal-drawn carts may still be allowed.

Prohibitory sign (circular sign, red border, white background): no cars or motorcycles. Cars and motorcycles specifically are banned on this road.

Prohibitory sign (circular sign, red border, white background): no motorcycles. Motorcycles specifically are banned on this road.

Prohibitory sign (circular sign, red border, white background): no bicycles. Bicycles are banned on this road.

Prohibitory sign (circular sign, red border, white background): no trucks. Trucks are banned — often near residential or narrow roads.

Prohibitory sign (circular sign, red border, white background): no buses. Buses are banned on this road.

Prohibitory sign (circular sign, red border, white background): no tractors. Agricultural tractors are banned on this road.

Prohibitory sign (circular sign, red border, white background): no trailers. Vehicles towing a trailer are banned on this road.

Prohibitory sign (circular sign, red border, white background): no handcarts. Hand-pulled or hand-pushed carts are banned on this road.

Prohibitory sign (circular sign, red border, white background): no animal-drawn vehicles. Carts pulled by animals are banned on this road.

Prohibitory sign (circular sign, red border, white background): no pedestrians. Walking is banned on this road — typically a highway or expressway.

Prohibitory sign (circular sign, red border, white background): no overtaking by heavy vehicles. Heavy vehicles may not overtake here, even where other vehicles can.

Prohibitory sign (circular sign, red border, white background): use of horn prohibited. Sounding the horn is banned here — common near hospitals and mosques.

Prohibitory sign (circular sign, red border, white background): no stopping. Stopping even briefly is banned — stricter than a no-parking sign.

Prohibitory sign (circular sign, red border, white background): customs — stop required. A customs checkpoint ahead — stopping is mandatory.

Mandatory sign (circular blue sign, white symbol): ahead or left. Only straight ahead or left is allowed at this point.

Mandatory sign (circular blue sign, white symbol): ahead or right. Only straight ahead or right is allowed at this point.

Mandatory sign (circular blue sign, white symbol): left or right. Only left or right is allowed — going straight ahead is not.

Mandatory sign (circular blue sign, white symbol): keep left. Keep to the left side of the obstacle or median ahead.

Mandatory sign (circular blue sign, white symbol): keep right. Keep to the right side of the obstacle or median ahead.

Mandatory sign (circular blue sign, white symbol): u-turn. A U-turn is required at this point.

Mandatory sign (circular blue sign, white symbol): minimum speed. Traffic must not travel slower than this minimum speed.

Mandatory sign (circular blue sign, white symbol): end of minimum speed. The minimum-speed requirement ends here.

Regulatory speed limit sign (white circle, red border, black number): the maximum speed permitted on this stretch of road.

A speed number with a diagonal strike-through marks the end of that speed restriction — normal road rules resume.

Mandatory sign (blue circle): minimum speed begins. Traffic must not travel slower than the number shown, except when safety requires it.

Diagonal strike-through on the minimum-speed sign marks the end of that requirement — drivers may resume normal speed.

Height-restriction sign: warns that vehicles taller than the figure shown cannot pass safely — common before low bridges or tunnels.

Width-restriction sign: vehicles wider than the figure shown are prohibited from proceeding.

Length-restriction sign: vehicles or vehicle combinations (e.g. truck with trailer) longer than the stated figure are prohibited.

Weight-restriction sign: vehicles with a total weight exceeding the figure shown are prohibited from proceeding — protects bridges and road surfaces.

Axle-weight restriction sign: limits the maximum weight carried by any single axle, distinct from the vehicle's total weight limit.

This sign marks a narrow section (e.g. one-lane bridge) where oncoming traffic has priority — wait until the way is clear before entering.

Temporary road-works sign (orange/yellow diamond): reduce speed and watch for workers, equipment, and altered lane paths ahead.

Traffic-controller-ahead sign: a flagger may be directing traffic through a work zone — their hand signals override normal signage.

Temporary traffic-signal sign: portable lights are managing alternating one-lane traffic through a work zone — obey them like permanent signals.

Lane/road-closed sign: merge into the open lane well in advance, following any additional arrow or cone guidance.

Advance warning that a full stop is required ahead (e.g. at a temporary work-zone control point) — begin slowing down now.

Work-zone diversion may route opposing traffic onto a single carriageway temporarily — stay alert for oncoming vehicles and reduce speed.

Informational (guide) sign: green background, indicates the location and direction of an upcoming highway exit.

Mandatory sign: switch on headlights — commonly posted before tunnels or low-visibility sections to ensure visibility.