SESKStuff Everyone Should Know
SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/drive-yield-triangle

A red and white triangle points down at you. What should you do?

Slow down and be ready to stop, it is a YIELD sign.

  1. Stop every time, then go
  2. Slow down and be ready to stop ✔
  3. Keep your speed, others must yield

Why: The downward triangle is the YIELD sign. Slow down and let traffic and pedestrians go first. Stop only if you need to.

Huh, didn't know that: The downward-pointing triangle shape is used only for the YIELD sign.

The dad joke
Why did the yield sign never win arguments? It always let the other guy go first.
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References

Answer: Slow down and be ready to stop. The downward triangle is the YIELD sign. Slow down and let traffic and pedestrians go first. Stop only if you need to.

  1. New York State Driver's Manual, Chapter 4 Traffic Control dmv.ny.gov/new-york-state-drivers-manual-and-practice-tests/chapter-4-traffic-control
    Decrease speed as you reach the intersection.
    Checked 2026-10-09.
  2. MUTCD 11th Edition, Chapter 2A, Table 2A-1 mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/pdfs/11th_Edition/Chapter2a.pdf
    Equilateral Triangle (downward-pointing)* Yield (R1-2)**
    Checked 2026-10-09.

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Test yourself in the game

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That's stuff everyone should know.