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UK Road Signs - Do You Know Your UK Traffic Signs?

As part of the Driving Theory Test in the UK, you are expected to have an understanding of the traffic and road signs commonly used on UK roads in accordance with the highway code. However there are some very unusual signs that you may never see on the roads, however it’s still useful to understand what they are. We’ve looked at some of the more unusual signs that you may not have come across, however would be useful to know when driving in the UK.

Minimum Speed Limit in the UK
minimum speed limit

Technically there is no minimum speed limit in the UK, even on motorways (70mph maximum), however they are sometimes implemented on a temporary basis. A blue sign with white text (number) within signifies the minimum speed limit for traffic.

No Vehicles Carrying Explosives
no vehicles carrying explosives

It’s not recommended to carry explosives in your car in any case, however you may see the following sign which strictly prohibits this.

Risk of Grounding
risk of grounding

You’re unlikely to see this sign on a regular road in the UK, however should the road be particularly undulating / uneven it may cause issues for vehicles with a very long wheelbase such as vans and lorries. It’s unlikely to affect the majority of road users.

No Towed Caravans
no towed caravans

A thorn in the side of many country roads in sea side towns, berated by Jeremy Clarkson throughout his career, there are roads that actually prohibit the towing of caravans!

Animal Traffic Signs in the UK
As a country of animal lovers, it’s no surprise that we have a number of traffic signs dedicated solely to animals that you might encounter on the roads. We have no less than 4 signs for animals you might encounter on the roads as below;
 
wild horses or ponies sign
accompanied horses or ponies sign
wild animals sign
cattle sign
Wild horses or ponies
Accompanied horses or ponies
Wild animals
Cattle

Whilst it’s not feasible to have a specific sign for each and every animal you may encounter (the most popular shown above), we like to cover all bases and where you’re likely to encounter an animal not listed above you’ll see the hazard warning triangle with a text signs below, for example ‘Low Flying Owls’ is a surprisingly common sign. You might also see signs for the following animals, often warning of a crossing point for migratory animals;
 
  • Migratory toads crossing
  • Otters crossing
  • Slow Badgers
  • Wild Fowl
  • Beware of sheep
Alternative Road Signs
We’ve taken a lighter hearted look at some common and not so common UK traffic signs below.
uk road signs
View all UK Traffic Signs here.
 
Kellie Hodge
Posted: April 19, 2018 by Kellie Hodge
About the Author -

Travel writer, customer service guru, Kellie knows the ins and outs of car rental and always happy to share her knowledge on our blog. Favourite country to visit: Spain.

Last updated: Thursday, October 31, 2019
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