The Wrong Way Sign: You Are Facing Oncoming Traffic
A wrong way sign means you are traveling against the flow of traffic on a one-way road or ramp, and vehicles may come at you head-on. Slow down, pull to the nearest edge of the road and stop, then turn around only when it is legal and safe. On a freeway or ramp, stay stopped well off the road with hazard lights on and call 911.
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Wrong way sign quiz: 3 test-style questions
- A red rectangular sign reading WRONG WAY tells you that: You are driving against traffic and must stop and turn around safely / The road ahead is closed for construction / You missed your exit and should take the next one / You are in the wrong lane for a left turn. Answer: You are driving against traffic and must stop and turn around safely. WRONG WAY is posted beyond DO NOT ENTER signs, facing drivers who have entered a one-way road or ramp against traffic.
- You see a car coming toward you in your lane on a divided highway at night. You should: Flash your high beams and hold your lane / Stop in your lane immediately / Slow down, move toward the right edge and call 911 when safe / Speed up to pass it quickly. Answer: Slow down, move toward the right edge and call 911 when safe. Wrong-way drivers usually stay in what they think is the right lane, which is your left (fast) lane. Slow down, move right and report it.
- What should you NOT do after realizing you are going the wrong way on a freeway ramp? Slow down / Pull to the edge and stop / Turn on hazard lights / Make a quick U-turn in the traffic lanes. Answer: Make a quick U-turn in the traffic lanes. A U-turn across moving traffic is dangerous and illegal on a freeway. Stop off the road, turn on hazard lights and call 911 for help.
What the wrong way sign means
The WRONG WAY sign (MUTCD R5-1a) is a horizontal red rectangle with a white border and white letters. It is a regulatory sign that faces drivers who are already traveling in the wrong direction, typically on a freeway exit ramp or a one-way street. If you can read its face, the traffic on that road is designed to come toward you.
It is a second line of defense. The first is the DO NOT ENTER sign at the entry point; the WRONG WAY sign is placed farther along, so a driver who missed or ignored the first sign gets another chance to stop. Wrong-way crashes on divided highways are rare but tend to be head-on and severe, and impairment, darkness and confusing interchanges are frequent factors.
What to do, step by step
- Slow down immediately, without slamming the brakes if traffic is behind you.
- Move to the nearest edge of the road or ramp, out of the travel lanes, and stop.
- Turn on your hazard lights.
- On a city one-way street, turn around only where it is legal and safe, for example into a driveway or at the next opening, or back out carefully if you are just past the corner and nothing is coming.
- On a freeway or ramp, do not attempt a U-turn or drive backward against traffic. Stay off the road and call 911 so police can help you turn around.
Common mistakes and test traps
- WRONG WAY vs DO NOT ENTER. DO NOT ENTER means "don't go in"; WRONG WAY means "you are already in." Tests often ask which sign you see first.
- Red reflectors on the pavement. On many freeways, raised pavement markers show red to wrong-way drivers and white or yellow to correct-way drivers. Seeing red reflectors ahead is a clue you are going the wrong way.
- Yellow line on your right. On one-way roads and divided highways, the yellow edge line is on the driver's left. A yellow line on your right means you are facing the wrong way.
- If you see a wrong-way driver, the answer is to slow down, move right and call 911, never to "play chicken" or stop in a lane.
Where you see it
You see WRONG WAY signs on freeway and expressway exit ramps (usually on both sides, beyond the DO NOT ENTER signs), on one-way streets, and on the far roadway of a divided highway at median crossings. Some states add flashing lights or detection systems to these signs at interchanges with a history of wrong-way entries.
Related signs to know
Learn this sign together with do not enter, one way and divided highway. Pavement markings and edge-line colors are covered in the traffic lights and pavement markings guide, and every sign family is in the road signs guide.
Wrong way sign FAQ
What does a WRONG WAY sign look like?
A horizontal red rectangle with a white border and the white words WRONG WAY. It faces drivers who are traveling against traffic.
Is it legal to back up after passing a WRONG WAY sign?
On a city street, backing a short distance can be acceptable if it is safe and does not interfere with traffic. On a freeway or ramp, backing up is illegal and dangerous: stop off the road and call 911.
Why are wrong-way crashes so dangerous?
They are usually head-on collisions at highway speeds, where the closing speed of the two vehicles adds up. They happen most often at night.
Which lane do wrong-way drivers usually use?
Often the lane they believe is the right lane, which is the left (passing) lane for correct-way traffic. That is one reason to stay right when you are not passing.
Official sources
Keep studying
- Do not enter sign
- One way sign
- Divided highway sign
- Pavement markings guide
- All US road signs
- Practice tests by topic