Every single sign you see while you’re driving is vital, even if some are quite confusing. Not only is it against the law if you don’t follow many of these signs, but they’re also there to make the driving experience on the road safer, both for you and for everyone else on it. One of the most important of these signs indicates the speed limit. While the white, rectangular speed limit sign is the most common, there are other speed limit markers you need to pay attention to.

One of those is a yellow diamond warning sign. Within that diamond is the standard speed limit sign, but it’s accompanied by an arrow pointing forward above it. This sign is indicating to drivers that the speed limit is going to decrease ahead, and you can then prepare to slow down your vehicle as you approach that next sign. 

These signs will always be warning of an upcoming speed limit decrease. With this added warning, you don’t have to immediately brake hard (and unsafely) to meet the new lower limit, which will also spare some wear and tear. This also gives you the opportunity to make sure you’re slowed down enough when you reach the new speed limit zone, as it’s pretty common for police to use these speed limit decreasing spots for speed traps. Sometimes, you will see the same yellow diamond sign with just the words that there’s an X MPH Speed Zone Ahead, which is just a different version of this arrowed road sign.

While the ones mentioned above indicate that there’s a new speed zone approaching, there are other road signs with arrows and speed limits that also tell drivers that there’s a decreasing speed limit ahead. However, these are more to indicate temporary limits for specific situations rather than changing the overall speed limit for the road.

Mostly, these are two road signs stacked on top of each other. The one on top is the same yellow diamond shape as mentioned before, but here, that diamond is solely going to feature an arrow. These arrows can take a number of different shapes, such as a 90-degree arrow that points left or right or a long, wavy arrow ultimately pointing forward. 

These arrows tell drivers what the immediate shape of the road will be, warning them of sharp turns, winding roads, hairpin curves, and more. Below these diamond signs will be a yellow square sign. This indicates the maximum speed at which you should maneuver through these trickier roads. Once you make it through this section of road though, you’re free to return to the speed limit of this overall speed zone.

Another specific road sign that features an arrow and a speed limit are to show drivers that they’ll be on a highway exit or ramp that is an extreme curve. These signs are yellow rectangles and feature an arrow that nearly makes a complete circle with the recommended speed limit below it. Importantly, yellow speed limit signs are warnings, so if you’re driving a bit over the limits on these signs, you’re not technically breaking the law. You’re just more in danger.