Warning sign · MUTCD SMV
Slow-Moving Vehicle Emblem
The vehicle carrying this emblem travels at 25 mph or less. It is mounted on the rear of farm machinery, horse-drawn buggies and other slow vehicles.
- Shape
- Triangle pointing up with rounded corners
- Color
- Fluorescent orange center with a red reflective border
What to do
Slow down as soon as you see the emblem; you are closing in much faster than it looks. Stay well back, be patient and pass only where passing is legal and you can see far enough ahead. Watch for the vehicle turning left into a field or driveway, often without clear signals.
Where you see it
On the rear of tractors, farm implements, construction equipment and animal-drawn vehicles, mainly on rural roads.
Test trap
This emblem is on a vehicle, not a post, and it is a warning, not a Yield sign — the yield triangle points down and is red and white. Test questions focus on the speed (25 mph or less) and on not following too closely.
Memory tip: Orange triangle on a tailgate = tractor speed — back off and wait.
Practice question
An orange triangle with a red border on the back of a vehicle means:
- The vehicle carries hazardous materials
- The vehicle is slow-moving (usually 25 mph or less)
- The vehicle is about to stop
- An emergency vehicle
Answer: B. This emblem marks farm equipment and other slow vehicles; slow down early and pass only when safe.
MUTCD sign meanings (as taught in state driver handbooks)