What are the colors of warning signs indicating upcoming hazards?
- Black letters or symbols on a white background
- Black letters or symbols on a yellow background ✓
- White letters or symbols on a blue background
- White letters or symbols on a green background
Answer: B. Black letters or symbols on a yellow background
Warning signs that indicate upcoming hazards are black letters or symbols on a yellow background.
Why this is the answer
The manual lists warning signs as yellow with black letters or symbols. It says these signs tell you that you are approaching a hazardous location or a place with a special rule, and it also describes warning signs as normally yellow and diamond-shaped. So when a sign is warning you about a hazard ahead, look for black wording or symbols on a yellow background. The white, blue, and green backgrounds belong to other sign groups, not warning signs.
Why the other answers are wrong
- A. Black letters or symbols on a white background — White with black letters or symbols is the normal color pattern for regulation signs, not warning signs.
- C. White letters or symbols on a blue background — Blue with white letters or symbols is used for service signs, not warning signs.
- D. White letters or symbols on a green background — Green with white letters or symbols is used for destination signs, not warning signs.
Remember it
Yellow warns, white regulates, green guides, blue serves.
Official handbook: New York State Driver's Manual (MV-21), Chapter 4: Traffic Control – Signs