Wrong way sign
A red sign reading WRONG WAY. It is posted where a driver who has entered a one-way road or ramp against traffic will see it.
How to read it
The MUTCD uses it to back up the DO NOT ENTER sign where an exit ramp or one-way road meets a crossroad in a way that does not physically prevent wrong-way entry. It stands farther along the ramp or road than the DO NOT ENTER sign. Pennsylvania's manual explains why: it is there to catch the attention of a driver who has turned onto the street or ramp by mistake.
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.
At night
California's handbook points to another sign of the wrong direction after dark: road reflectors that shine red in the headlights.
Read next
- Next in Road signsSpeed limit signA black and white rectangle showing the highest speed allowed on that stretch of road, in miles per hour.
- The same shape in US mint marksS mint markS is the mint mark of the San Francisco Mint, in use since 1854. Since 1968 it has been found mostly on proof coins made for collectors.
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.38
- Pennsylvania Driver's Manual, Chapter 2: Signals, Signs and Pavement Markings, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, p. 11
- California Driver's Handbook, Section 7: Laws and Rules of the Road, California Department of Motor Vehicles, Signs
- Official Florida Driver License Handbook, rev. 08/2023, Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, p. 48
Researched, edited and approved by Rory Hansen before publishing. Last reviewed September 25, 2026. How we research
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