Left lane must turn left sign
A regulatory sign reading LEFT LANE MUST TURN LEFT. Traffic in the left lane turns left at the intersection ahead.
How to read it
It is the word version of the MUTCD's Mandatory Movement Lane Control signs, which name the single movement required from a lane; RIGHT LANE MUST TURN RIGHT is its counterpart. The signs stand ahead of the intersection, such as where the turn lane begins, or at the intersection itself.
Rules vary by state and country. This explains the sign's standard meaning in the U.S. Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices; it isn't legal advice.
In the lane by mistake
Pennsylvania's manual addresses the symbol version, a turn arrow with the word ONLY: a driver in that lane makes the turn, even one who is in the turn-only lane in error.
Read next
- Next in Road signsNo parking signA letter P inside a red circle with a slash. Parking is not allowed where it is posted.
- The same shape in Tire sidewall markingsR (radial construction)The R in a tire size, as in P215/65R15, means radial construction: the cords of the tire’s plies run across it from bead to bead at about 90 degrees to the tread.
More road signs
The same shape elsewhere
Browse symbols drawn with letters and numbers.
Sources
- MUTCD 2009 Edition, Chapter 2B: Regulatory Signs, Barricades, and Gates, MUTCD 2009, Part 2, U.S. Federal Highway Administration, Section 2B.20
- Official Florida Driver License Handbook, rev. 08/2023, Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, p. 48
- Pennsylvania Driver's Manual, Chapter 2: Signals, Signs and Pavement Markings, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, p. 12
Researched, edited and approved by Rory Hansen before publishing. Last reviewed September 25, 2026. How we research
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