Why Knowing Road Signs Is A MUST!

On February 14, 2020, an over-speeding passenger jeepney failed to stop at the pedestrian lane and rammed over a group of young students crossing the street, killing a 14-year-old and severely injuring six others. When the driver was asked if knew what “PED XING” means, he simply answered, “to slow down”.

PED XING is short for Pedestrian Crossing, and it is usually placed either before or on top of the pedestrian lanes painted off the street, which should be moot and academic. However, it proves that there are drivers who either disregard it or don’t know what it means.

Admittedly, there were also instances where we get slapped with Disregarding Traffic Signs (DTS) violations with a fine of PHP500 for failing to see the NO U-TURN, ONE-WAY, and NO TURN ON RED Road Signs. It's not only embarrassing to commit those road sign violations, but it's also a waste of money and time.

So why is keeping an eye on road signs a must? The answer is simple. It is designed to instill road safety to avoid road accidents, among other inconveniences.

The question is, how well do you know or understand what Road Signs mean? Is it a must to know it all? Let us, Automart.PH, help you out.

Let's get straight to the point. These Road Signs are essentially the contents of the required LTO written examination, while the practical test is just a quick rundown test on your driving skill.

However, some of those who have acquired driving licenses tend to forget to look out for the road signs posted here, there, and everywhere.

Then why again is it a MUST to know all the Road Signs? Because one mistake can be the difference between life and death. Just one mistake could ruin it all.

Here are a few tips to understand and practically discern what those road signs mean and how to keep it in mind even when driving in Manila is truly challenging enough to keep an eye on all these things.

An image depicting a red circle with a diagonal line or backslash in the middle is defined as a “Red Universal ‘NO’ Symbol” or the General Prohibition Sign. Any image or directional arrow or number or letter place inside of it, overlaid by that red diagonal line should automatically mean to warn road users that an intended activity, action, or decision is not allowed, not permitted, or it could mean danger.

No Entry Signs for bicycles, motorcycles, and motorized tricycles are usually seen some 10 to 20 meters away from getting inside Super Highways like the Coastal Roads bound for Las Pinas and Cavite, SLEX and NLEX, even on Skyways. So if you’re bound to Laguna on two wheels, better take the service roads.

These road signs both mean NO ENTRY for all types of vehicles. It is posted on private roads or narrow aisles that are only good for tricycles, motorcycles, and bikes. Should you force your way in, you're being a rolling hazard for those properly using the street.

What about the lines on the road? A solid white line doesn't necessarily mean no overtaking. It merely suggests overtaking with caution. Double yellow lines mean no overtaking in both directions, while one yellow lane on one side of the road means no passing in that direction.

Directional road signs are usually posted some 5 to 10 meters before approaching the actual road curves or before reaching the roundabout or crossroads. It should be easy, right?

Another thing to keep in mind when driving along Highway 54 (Better known as EDSA), or in Commonwealth Avenue, you may notice a road sign which has the number “60” inside a Red Circle but without a diagonal line in between. This means you should keep a maximum of 60kph (kilometer per hour) run unless you don't mind getting a speeding violation.

Thanks to 'No Contact Apprehension', don’t be surprised if a postman comes knocking at your doorstep to hand over your violation ticket. These summonses are complete with an image of your vehicle where your car plate is very evident, and the time and date you blew past the limit. The prescribed fine is likewise stipulated.

And if you refuse to pay it at once, please know that it will then becomes a prerequisite at the time when you have to renew your vehicle’s registration. An unsettled fine for an official violation receipt (OVR) is likewise a prerequisite when renewing your driver’s license, even when just applying for a lost license (duplicate copy).

Either violation translates to an unwanted additional expense. Such a waste of money, isn’t it? Need I say more about why it is a must to get familiar with road signs?

Now go and get yourself a personal refresher on the road signs. Mastery of which starts from making it a habit to just browse over the list of road signs now and then until your brain automatically enjoys the fun of playing name this road sign game in your head. A complete list of these Road Signs and their meanings is available online – from LTO official website to the Google search engine.

So there you go, drivers and readers. This friendly Road Signs familiarization campaign is not just an after-sale service but simply a part of its corporate social responsibility because we want you to drive home safe and sound for your family as we advocate for responsible driving and road safety campaign by mastering these road signs by heart which in turn will be embedded in your senses and become one of those who promote road safety.