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NWT Class 7 overview

NWT Class 7: Regulatory signs and speed limits

Sign shapes and colours, stop and yield signs, permissive green-circle and prohibitive red-slash signs, lane-use, parking and stopping signs, and NWT default speed limits.

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Regulatory signs and speed limits · Question 1Score 0/0
White square with a black island shape and an arrow passing to its right

You see this sign before a median. What does it mean?

Study reference: NWT Driver's Manual (rev. August 2022), Ch. 2 Traffic Controls — Sign shapes and colours, Regulatory signs, Speed limits, Designated lane, Permissive and Prohibitive signs, pp. 26–31

All 24 questions in this test

Every question and its answer choices. The correct answers and explanations appear when you take the test above.

  1. You see this sign before a median. What does it mean?

    White square with a black island shape and an arrow passing to its right
    1. The road narrows to one lane
    2. A divider is ahead, keep to the right
    3. Turn right at the next corner
    4. Passing on the right is allowed

  2. Who is this sign aimed at?

    White square sign with a walking figure, crossed by a red circle and slash
    1. Pedestrians, who have priority here
    2. Drivers, who must stop for walkers
    3. Drivers approaching a school
    4. Pedestrians, who are not allowed here

  3. Which sign shape and colour does the NWT manual use for a school area?

    1. A fluorescent yellow-green pentagon
    2. An orange diamond
    3. A white triangle with a red border
    4. A yellow rectangle

  4. What does this sign tell you?

    Black rectangle with a white arrow pointing right
    1. Traffic may move only in the arrow's direction
    2. A sharp curve to the right is ahead
    3. You must turn right at the very next intersection
    4. Traffic merges from the right

  5. You pass this sign on a snowy evening and the road is icy. How fast may you legally drive?

    White rectangle reading MAXIMUM 50 km/h
    1. Only as fast as is safe for the conditions
    2. Exactly 50 km/h, as posted
    3. Any speed up to 50 km/h
    4. Up to 60 km/h, if traffic on the road is light

  6. What does this sign mean?

    White square with two vehicles side by side, red circle and slash
    1. Passing is permitted
    2. Two lanes merge ahead
    3. Keep a safe distance
    4. Do not pass

  7. You see an orange diamond-shaped sign ahead. What should you expect?

    1. Construction ahead
    2. A roadside service area
    3. A permitted turn
    4. A school zone

  8. Unless a sign says otherwise, what is the maximum speed on a primary highway outside a settlement or municipality in the NWT?

    1. 100 km/h
    2. 110 km/h
    3. 90 km/h
    4. 80 km/h

  9. What does this sign mean?

    White square with a red circle and a white horizontal bar
    1. One way to the right
    2. No stopping at any time
    3. Do not enter
    4. Road closed ahead for repairs

  10. You are driving toward this sign at an intersection. What must you do?

    Red eight-sided sign with white lettering
    1. Yield only to traffic coming from the right
    2. Slow down and go if the road looks clear
    3. Stop only if other vehicles are present
    4. Stop completely and go only when it is safe

  11. What does this sign tell drivers on a route?

    White square sign with a green ring around a snowmobile symbol
    1. Motorized snow vehicles are allowed
    2. The road is closed in winter
    3. Snowmobiles cross the road ahead
    4. Motorized snow vehicles are prohibited

  12. What do brown or blue square signs usually show?

    1. Direction and distance
    2. Roadside facilities
    3. Construction zones
    4. Lane use rules

  13. A reserved lane sign shows a bus symbol along with hours and days. What does that mean?

    1. Any vehicle may use the lane only at those times
    2. The lane is reserved for buses only at those times
    3. Buses must stop in the lane at those times
    4. The lane is closed to all traffic at those times

  14. What does this sign mean?

    White square with a green circle around a left-turn arrow
    1. Sharp curve to the left
    2. Left lane ends ahead
    3. No left turn
    4. Left turn only

  15. What does this sign mean?

    White square, U-shaped arrow, red circle and slash
    1. No left turn
    2. No U-turn
    3. Road curves sharply ahead
    4. U-turn allowed here

  16. Unless otherwise posted, what is the maximum speed on a highway inside a settlement or municipality?

    1. 30 km/h
    2. 70 km/h
    3. 60 km/h
    4. 50 km/h

  17. You are in a lane marked by a designated lane sign with a left-turn arrow only. What must you do?

    1. Turn left as the arrow shows
    2. Go straight if the road is clear
    3. Turn either way after signalling
    4. Change lanes inside the intersection

  18. What does this regulatory sign indicate?

    White square with arrows pointing up and down
    1. The road ahead is one way
    2. You may pass in either lane
    3. Traffic must merge into one lane
    4. Traffic is moving in both directions

  19. A white square sign has a green circle around a symbol. What does the green circle tell you?

    1. The action shown is permitted
    2. The action shown is prohibited
    3. A school is close by
    4. The action is allowed only at night

  20. A police officer at an intersection waves you through, but the traffic light facing you is red. What do you do?

    1. Sound your horn and wait
    2. Stop, then turn right only
    3. Follow the officer's direction
    4. Wait for the light to turn green

  21. What does this sign mean?

    White square with a letter P and a red circle and slash
    1. Parking lot ahead
    2. No parking
    3. Parking for permit holders
    4. Pick-up and drop-off only

  22. A sign is a white square with a red circle and a diagonal red slash. What kind of message does it give?

    1. The action shown is prohibited
    2. The action shown is permitted
    3. A hazard is ahead on the road
    4. Road work is ahead

  23. A no parking sign has an arrow under the symbol. What does the arrow show?

    1. Where parking is not allowed
    2. Which way traffic flows
    3. Which side has free parking
    4. Where the nearest lot is

  24. You approach this sign. To whom must you give the right-of-way?

    Downward-pointing white triangle with a wide red border
    1. Only pedestrians waiting on the corner
    2. Only large trucks and buses on the cross road
    3. Traffic not facing the sign and all pedestrians crossing
    4. Only vehicles approaching from your left side

Regulatory signs and speed limits: key rules to remember

Our summary of what the official handbook says on this topic, in our own words. Read it before or after the practice questions above, then check the original chapter. Read the official chapter ↗

Sign shapes and colours (Ch. 2 Traffic Controls)

  • A sign's shape tells you in advance what kind of message to expect; standard colours and symbols help you recognise meaning.
  • The manual shows representative examples only; real signs may differ slightly.
  • Directions from a police officer take priority over signs and signals.
  • Red octagon = stop. Red triangle with a white border = yield (manual wording).
  • White square with a red circle and slash = something is prohibited. White square with a green circle = something is permitted.
  • White rectangle = regulatory message. Fluorescent yellow-green pentagon = school area.
  • Black rectangle = one way. Black square = lane use designation.
  • Orange diamond = construction warning. Yellow diamond = warning.
  • Green rectangle = direction. Brown or blue square = roadside facilities.

Regulatory signs

  • Regulatory signs state a rule that applies at a particular time or place: what you must do or must not do.
  • They cover right-of-way, permitted/prohibited road use, speed, turns, direction of travel, passing, lane use, parking and crosswalks.
  • Stop sign: come to a complete stop; do not go until it is safe.
  • Yield sign: give the right-of-way to traffic not facing the sign and to every pedestrian in the intersection or crosswalk.
  • Two-way traffic sign: traffic is coming the opposite way.
  • Other regulatory examples: do not enter, railway crossing, fasten seat belts.
  • Traffic direction signs: go only in the direction of the arrow; two-way traffic; divider ahead, keep right.

Speed limits

  • Posted limits are in km/h.
  • A limit is the maximum for ideal conditions, not a target speed. Any speed that is unsafe for current conditions is illegal.
  • Unless posted otherwise: 90 km/h maximum on a primary highway outside a settlement or municipality.
  • Unless posted otherwise: 50 km/h maximum on a highway inside a settlement or municipality.
  • A "reduced speed zone ahead" sign warns that a lower limit is coming.

Designated lane signs and reserved lanes

  • Lane designation signs show which lanes may turn or go straight. If you are in a designated lane you must move in the direction its arrows show.
  • Where two lanes turn at the same time, keep your lane position during and after the turn.
  • Reserved lane signs: a symbol shows which vehicles (for example buses, taxis, bicycles) may use the lane.
  • Part-time reserved lanes show the hours and days the reservation applies.

Permissive signs

  • Green circle = the movement or use shown inside is allowed.
  • Examples: turn left only, turn right only, straight through only, passing permitted.
  • Permissive route signs: truck route, motorized snow vehicles allowed, dangerous goods route, bicycles allowed.

Prohibitive signs, parking and stopping, crossing signs

  • Red circle with a diagonal red bar = the thing shown inside is prohibited.
  • Examples: no left turn, no right turn, no U-turn, do not pass.
  • Prohibitive access: no trucks, no motorized snow vehicles, no pedestrians, no bicycles, dangerous goods prohibited.
  • No parking: an arrow under the symbol shows where parking is not allowed; some signs limit the ban to the days and times shown.
  • No stopping signs exist in the same two forms (always, or on days/times shown).
  • Crossing signs: pedestrian crossing/crosswalk and school crosswalk.

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