NC Warning Signs
While driving on a rural road in North Carolina 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.
North Carolina specific note
North Carolina enforces zero tolerance for alcohol in drivers under 21 and tests on mountain switchbacks. For this question in particular, the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles aligns with the standard interpretation explained above. Always verify against the most recent North Carolina 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 North Carolina
- You are driving in North Carolina and you approach a red octagonal sign at an intersection. What is required of you?
- You are driving on an interstate in North Carolina and see a large green sign overhead listing the next exit and a destination city. What kind of sign is this?
- You arrive at a four way stop in North Carolina at the same time as another vehicle on your right. Who has the right of way?
- What is the typical maximum posted speed limit on a rural interstate highway in North Carolina?
- In North Carolina how close are you allowed to park to a fire hydrant?
- What is the per se blood alcohol concentration limit for an adult driver of a passenger vehicle in North Carolina?