Yield sign
A red and white triangle pointing down. It gives the right-of-way to traffic on the other road: drivers slow down, and stop only when they need to.
How to read it
The MUTCD describes the sign as assigning right-of-way: vehicles it controls slow to a speed reasonable for the conditions, or stop when necessary to avoid interfering with conflicting traffic. Unlike a stop sign, it does not call for a stop every time; Pennsylvania's manual says a stop is needed only when it is necessary. California's handbook counts bicyclists and pedestrians among those who go first.
Also searched as: give way sign, R1-2.
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.
Read next
- Next in Road signsDo not enter signA red and white regulatory sign marking a road or ramp that traffic may not enter from that direction.
- The same shape in Blueprint symbolsElevation markerPoints to an elevation, a view of the building's face drawn on the elevations sheet. The circle gives the elevation's number and its sheet.
More road signs
The same shape elsewhere
Browse symbols drawn with letters and numbers or triangles.
Sources
- Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways, 11th edition, MUTCD, U.S. Federal Highway Administration, Section 2B.05, Paragraph 01 (printed p. 74, PDF p. 114)
- Standard Highway Signs and Markings, U.S. Federal Highway Administration, Regulatory Signs, sheet 1-2 (R1-2), PDF p. 2
- MUTCD 2009 Edition, Chapter 2B: Regulatory Signs, Barricades, and Gates, MUTCD 2009, Part 2, U.S. Federal Highway Administration, Section 2B.08
- Pennsylvania Driver's Manual, Chapter 2: Signals, Signs and Pavement Markings, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, p. 10
- California Driver's Handbook, Section 7: Laws and Rules of the Road, California Department of Motor Vehicles, Signs
- The Evolution of MUTCD, Updated December 2023; after H. Gene Hawkins, Jr., ITE Journal, 1991–1994, U.S. Federal Highway Administration, Part I, 1954 revision of the 1948 edition
- International Effort Toward Uniformity on Road Traffic Signs, Signals, and Markings, Jose M. Zuniga, Highway Research Record 299, 1969, Highway Research Board, p. 3
Researched, edited and approved by Rory Hansen before publishing. Last reviewed September 30, 2026. How we research
Added . Last updated .