Traffic signs
How to learn Czech traffic signs: groups, shapes and colours
Dominik Brablec
Driving instructor ·
There are many traffic signs, but they are logically organised. Once you understand what shape and colour mean, you can tell what most signs want from you before you even read the symbol inside.
Six groups are enough
Vertical traffic signs are divided into groups. Each has a typical look:
| Group | How to recognise it | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Warning | Triangle with a red border | Be careful, there is a hazard ahead |
| Priority | Various shapes, e.g. an inverted triangle or an octagon | Who has priority and who gives way |
| Prohibitory | Red circle | Something is forbidden |
| Mandatory | Blue circle | You must do something |
| Informative | Square or rectangle, often blue | Information about traffic, direction and destination |
| Supplementary plates | Small rectangular plate below a sign | Specifies when the sign applies |
Shape and colour first, symbol second
When you see an unfamiliar sign in the test, do not panic. Ask: is it a triangle, a red circle or a blue circle? That already tells you whether the sign warns, prohibits or commands. Only then look at the symbol.
A typical example: a red circle with a crossed arrow prohibits turning back, while a blue circle with an arrow commands a direction of travel. The symbol is similar; the meaning is opposite.
What to watch out for
The test often mixes up signs that look alike:
- prohibition versus command: red circle versus blue circle,
- priority signs versus warning-only signs: a warning sign does not decide priority, it only warns about a junction,
- scope of a sign: a supplementary plate can narrow or widen a prohibition.
How to make signs stick
Three things help:
- Learn by group, not from start to finish. The brain remembers a whole better than a list.
- Repeat briefly and often. Ten minutes a day beats two hours once a week.
- Read the explanation even for questions you answer correctly. It confirms that you know the reason, not just the picture.
How many points signs are worth
Each traffic sign question is worth 1 point, so a single mistake does not hurt much. But signs are the foundation for traffic situations, where each question is worth four points.