California Warning Signs

Updated July 9, 2026

Warning signs give you advance notice of a hazard or a change in the road ahead so you can slow down and prepare. Most are yellow diamonds with black symbols. They do not carry a legal command like regulatory signs — they tell you what to expect so you can adjust your speed and position before you reach it.

How to read warning signs

The standard warning sign is a yellow diamond with a black symbol. Fluorescent yellow-green diamonds and pentagons flag the most vulnerable road users — pedestrians, bicyclists, and school zones. A round yellow sign with an X and "RR" is the advance warning for railroad tracks.

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All warning signs (21)

Curve Ahead W1-2R Crossroad Ahead W2-1 Stop Ahead W3-1 Signal Ahead W3-3 Merge W4-1R Two-Way Traffic W6-3 Slippery When Wet W8-5 Railroad Crossing Ahead W10-1 Bicycle Crossing W11-1 Pedestrian Crossing W11-2 Dead End W14-1 No Outlet W14-2 School Crossing S1-1 Sharp Change of Direction W1-6 Lane Ends Ahead W4-2 Narrow Bridge W5-2 Divided Highway Begins W6-1 Divided Highway Ends W6-2 Steep Downgrade W7-1 Low Clearance W12-2 Speed Hump W17-1