Regulatory sign · MUTCD R4-1
Do Not Pass
You may not pass other vehicles on this stretch of road. It is a legal order, not just advice.
- Shape
- Vertical rectangle
- Color
- White background, black letters DO NOT PASS
What to do
Stay in your lane behind the vehicle ahead and keep a safe following distance. Wait for a PASS WITH CARE sign or a broken yellow line on your side before passing. Be patient even if the car ahead is slow.
Where you see it
On the right side of two-lane roads at the start of a no-passing section, together with a solid yellow center line.
Test trap
Do Not Pass (white, right side, regulatory) and No Passing Zone (yellow pennant, left side, warning) mark the same situation; tests ask you to tell them apart by color, shape and side of the road.
Memory tip: White sign that says it in words — the law says stay behind.
Practice question
A white sign reading DO NOT PASS means:
- You may not pass other vehicles on this stretch of road
- Do not stop here
- Trucks may not pass
- Pass only on the right
Answer: A. Passing is not allowed where this sign is posted.
MUTCD sign meanings (as taught in state driver handbooks)