No doubt one of the most important road signs that you could encounter in the wild… The Two Way Traffic sign is there to warn you about a change in the road layout and traffic ahead.
In particular, it warns you that a one-way road is changing into a road with two-way traffic. It also tells you that vehicles will be traveling in both directions, so make sure to stay alert!
What Does The Two-Way Traffic Sign Mean?
As I mentioned earlier, the Two Way Traffic sign warns you and other motorists that they are about to enter a road where traffic moves in both directions. You’ll usually find this road sign posted after a section of the road where traffic only flows in one direction. As such, this is meant to caution you and other drivers to be aware of oncoming traffic and vehicles.
As you can imagine, understanding what the Two Way Traffic sign is trying to warn you about is vital for maintaining safe driving practices. These ensure that you and other drivers can adjust your speed and be mindful of other vehicles coming from the opposite direction. You’ll need to be extra cautious here, particularly when it comes to any turning or overtaking.
What Does It Look Like?
The Two Way Traffic sign has a rather simple design. So, this should make it pretty easy to spot. It’s basically a yellow diamond-shaped sign that features two thick black arrows in the middle. There’s one arrow that points up, while the other arrow points down. Those arrows symbolize the two opposing directions of traffic. As such, that ought to convey to you the message clearly.
Given that there’s a very bold and stark contrast between the yellow background of the sign, with the dark black arrows in the middle, these should ensure high visibility. That’s even if you spot the Two Way Traffic sign from a distance. These ought to help you recognize in advance that there’s a change in traffic flow and directions up ahead. Plus, you should be cautious.
Where Is The Two-Way Traffic Sign Found?
Of course, a Two Way Traffic sign can be found in places where the road transitions from one-way traffic to two-way traffic. Alternatively, you’ll also see these signs in areas where two-way traffic resumes after a diversion. Here are just some of the locations where you are more likely to find a Two Way Traffic sign:
- The End Of A One-Way Street – You’ll normally find a Two Way Traffic sign placed at the end of a one-way road. These warn you that vehicles ahead will now be traveling in both directions.
- Construction Zones – When the layout of the road ahead has been temporarily changed due to roadworks, a Two Way Traffic sign helps to guide you through areas with opposing lanes.
- Highway Entrances Or Exists – Otherwise, you’ll also find this road sign placed on the highway. They’re used to alert you and other drivers that the traffic flow will return to two-way traffic after you come across a divided highway or expressway.
What To Do
When you spot a Two Way Traffic sign as you’re driving along, here is what you need to do to proceed safely and to ensure smooth traffic flow:
- First off, make sure that you stay in your lane and keep to the right side of the road. It’s quite important that you avoid straying into the lane with oncoming traffic. Remember that driving too close to the center is dangerous when you’re dealing with oncoming traffic.
- Moreover, in two-way traffic zones, overtaking is riskier than usual, so you should avoid it. It’s mainly due to the fact that there is limited visibility on these roads. As such, you should ideally only overtake and attempt to pass other cars when it’s safe, and that there’s plenty of room to do so.
- Additionally, be sure that you’re wary of any oncoming traffic. With that in mind, ensure that you pay very close attention to vehicles coming toward you from the opposite lane, especially when you’re trying to merge or turn. If need be, you should always yield the right of way to avoid accidents.
- Crucially, if and when you need to, you ought to adjust your vehicle’s speed, as well. This will depend on the road layout and traffic conditions, where you would have to reduce your car’s speed to accommodate the two-way traffic. While you’re there, remember to bear in mind to keep a safe distance between your vehicle and others.
What To (Not) Do
While we’ve hopefully made it pretty straightforward as to what you should do when you see the Two Way Traffic sign in the distance, I’ve seen a lot of drivers repeat these mistakes when driving. So, here’s what you should avoid doing when it comes to two-way traffic:
- The first and most common mistake made by many drivers is failing to adjust your car’s speed for oncoming traffic. Not reducing your speed when approaching two-way traffic areas would lead to hazardous situations, particularly with tight or narrow roads.
- Moreover, I’ve seen other drivers – the impatient ones – attempting to overtake in a two-way zone. More specifically, you’d try to overtake other cars without first ensuring that you’d have enough space or time to safely do so. Trying to overtake in two-way traffic could lead to you colliding head-on with other vehicles if you’re not careful.
- Speaking of, another mistake I’ve seen repeated is drivers failing to yield the right of way for the oncoming traffic. This is even more dangerous when done at intersections and when you have to merge. So, bear in mind to always check for vehicles traveling in the opposite lane if you’re trying to turn or change lanes.