Winding road sign
A yellow diamond with a wavy line. It warns of three or more curves in a row ahead.
How to read it
The MUTCD uses it in place of several Curve or Turn signs where there are three or more bends, each less than 600 feet from the next. A plaque below it reading NEXT XX MILES can give the length of the winding stretch.
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.
Winding or reverse curve
The number of bends decides it. Two bends in opposite directions, less than about 180 m (600 ft) apart, call for a Reverse Curve or Reverse Turn sign in the 11th edition (2023). Three or more call for the Winding Road sign.
Where you'll see it
The 11th edition's Table 2C-4 sets when bends need warning devices: on freeways and expressways they are required, on arterial and collector roads they depend on traffic volume, and on all other roads they are optional. Michigan's driver manual shows the sign as "Winding Curve Ahead, Limit Speed", with 35 mph as the speed.
Read next
- Next in Road signsHill signA yellow diamond with a truck on a slope. It warns of a steep downhill grade ahead.
- The same shape in Army ranksFirst sergeant (E-8)Three chevrons above three arcs with a diamond between them are the insignia of a first sergeant (1SG), pay grade E-8 in the US Army and the senior NCO of a company.
More road signs
The same shape elsewhere
Browse symbols drawn with arrows, curves and waves or diamonds.
Sources
- MUTCD 2009 Edition, Chapter 2C: Warning Signs and Object Markers, MUTCD 2009, Part 2, U.S. Federal Highway Administration, Section 2C.07
- Pennsylvania Driver's Manual, Chapter 2: Signals, Signs and Pavement Markings, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, p. 14
- Official Florida Driver License Handbook, rev. 08/2023, Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, p. 50
- Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways, 11th edition, MUTCD, U.S. Federal Highway Administration, Section 2C.07, paras 03, 05; Table 2C-4 (printed p. 155)
- What Every Driver Must Know, Michigan driver manual, Michigan Department of State, Chapter 5, sign 33
Researched, edited and approved by Rory Hansen before publishing. Last reviewed October 3, 2026. How we research
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