Winding Road Sign
The Winding Road sign (W1-5) is installed to warn drivers where there are more than three turns or curves ahead. The curves or turns are each separated by a tangent distance of less than 600 feet.
A supplemental distance plaque may be installed below the Winding Road sign where continuous roadway curves exist for a specific distance.
When there are just two turns or curves ahead, a driver will see the Reverse Turn or Reverse Curve sign instead. One turn or curve is marked with a Turn or Curve sign.
The Winding Road sign is often mixed up with the Slippery When Wet sign. Make sure you can tell them apart.
What You Should Do
Start slowing down when you see the sign and be prepared to adjust speed even more before you enter a curve.
Advisory speed limit plaque may be used to supplement the warning sign. Such an advisory speed has always been determined by an engineering study and indicates a recommended safe speed for the road. You must, however, always judge if the speed is appropriate during current conditions. Rain, sleet, or snow may require you to drive slower.
About Warning Signs
The Winding Road sign is an example of a general warning sign. Such warning signs are usually diamond-shaped and have a yellow background. When installed in work zones, similar warning signs have an orange background.
Knowing the basic shapes and background colors of road signs is not only essential for your driver’s license test, but it will also help you to drive safer. Being able to recognize road signs from a distance can be very useful in many situations.
Take this test to see how many warning signs you know: common U.S. warning signs
For official information on all U.S. traffic signs, please study the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices
