Wrong way sign: what it means
The WRONG WAY sign means you have entered a one-way road or ramp against the flow of traffic. Get out of the path of traffic as soon as it is safe and turn around.
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What it means
MUTCD Section 2B.47: the WRONG WAY sign may be used as a supplement to the DO NOT ENTER sign where a crossroad meets a one-way road in a way that does not physically stop wrong-way entry. It is placed farther along the one-way road than the DO NOT ENTER sign, on the same side.
So it is a second warning: it is meant to stand beyond a DO NOT ENTER sign you should already have seen.
Where you see it
Along one-way roads and freeway exit ramps, facing drivers who are traveling the wrong way.
A common mistake
Driving on in the hope of finding an exit. Every second against traffic is dangerous: slow down, move out of the travel lanes as soon as you safely can, and turn around.
Quick quiz
You pass a WRONG WAY sign. What does it tell you?
- You are driving against the flow of traffic
- The road ahead is closed for repairs
- You must pass on the left
Show answer
A. You are driving against the flow of traffic. The sign faces drivers who have entered a one-way road or ramp in the wrong direction. Source: MUTCD 11th Edition, Chapter 2B, Regulatory Signs, Barricades, and Gates: Section 2B.47, FHWA; MUTCD 11th Edition, FHWA
Compare with
Do not enter signTraffic comes toward you here; do not go in.
One way signAll traffic moves in the arrow’s direction.
Keep right signPass to the right of the island or obstacle.
Next in regulatory signs: Speed limit sign. See all regulatory signs or the full road signs list.
Want to test someone else? Play a road-sign quiz with friends and family.
Sources
- MUTCD 11th Edition, Chapter 2B, Regulatory Signs, Barricades, and Gates: Section 2B.47, FHWA
- MUTCD 11th Edition, FHWA. FHWA lists the current version as the 11th Edition with Revision 1, dated December 2025
Sign pictures are our own simplified drawings of the MUTCD designs, which are in the public domain (MUTCD Section 1D.06). Sources and image credits.