Warning sign · MUTCD W1-8
Chevron Alignment
The road changes direction sharply here; the chevron points the way the road turns. Several are usually placed in a row along the outside of the curve.
- Shape
- Vertical rectangle
- Color
- Yellow background, large black chevron (sideways V)
What to do
Slow down before the curve and steer in the direction the chevrons point. Keep your speed low until you pass the last chevron, especially at night or in rain. Do not brake hard in the middle of the curve.
Where you see it
Along the outside of sharp curves and at sharp changes in road alignment, mounted facing approaching drivers.
Test trap
The chevron is yellow and black but not a diamond; tests may ask which warning sign is a vertical rectangle. The chevron does not tell you to merge or change lanes — only to follow the curve.
Memory tip: Chevrons are arrowheads without shafts — they point the way the road goes.
Practice question
A yellow sign with a large black chevron (>) placed along a curve means:
- Merge right
- Sharp change in direction — follow the curve the way the chevron points
- Passing lane
- Exit to the right
Answer: B. Chevrons mark a sharp curve and show which way the road turns.
MUTCD sign meanings (as taught in state driver handbooks)