LA Warning Signs
While driving on a rural road in Louisiana you see a yellow diamond shaped sign with a curved arrow and the number 35. What does it mean?
- The legal speed limit on this road is 35 mph
- There is a 35 mph speed limit only when school is in session
- An advisory speed of 35 mph is recommended for the upcoming curve ✓
- The minimum required speed for the curve is 35 mph
The answer explained
Yellow diamond signs warn of a condition ahead that requires extra attention. When a number appears with a curved arrow, that number is the advisory speed engineers calculated as safe for the curve under good conditions. The legal speed limit remains whatever the most recent white regulatory sign posted. Driving above the advisory speed in poor weather or at night can still be reckless even if you are below the legal limit, because the curve was designed around the advisory.
Why this rule exists
Curve advisory speeds are based on the radius of the curve, the superelevation of the road, and a safe lateral acceleration for an average passenger vehicle. They give you a target before you can see how tight the curve actually is.
The most common mistake
Drivers often confuse advisory yellow signs with regulatory white signs and either slow too aggressively in traffic or refuse to slow at all. Both behaviors are wrong. Read the color before reading the number.
Louisiana specific note
Louisiana tests heavily on flooded roadway procedures and hurricane evacuation routes. For this question in particular, the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles aligns with the standard interpretation explained above. Always verify against the most recent Louisiana driver handbook before relying on these details for the live exam.
Study tip
Yellow equals warning, white equals law. If the question shows a yellow sign with a number, the number is advisory; if the sign is white, the number is enforceable.
Related questions for Louisiana
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