Detour
The normal route is closed. Follow the arrows to use the marked alternate route.
| Category | Construction |
|---|---|
| Shape | Rectangle |
| Color | Orange and black |
Why this sign exists
The Detour sign is part of the federal Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), which standardizes road signage across all 50 US states. Standardization matters because drivers cross state lines all the time — a sign that meant one thing in California and another in Nevada would create real safety problems. By using the same shape, the same color scheme, and the same legend nationwide, the MUTCD ensures that whether you're driving through downtown Boston or rural Idaho, you can recognize and obey signs at a glance.
How to recognize it
The shape is Rectangle and the color scheme is Orange and black. Even from a distance, those two cues alone tell you the sign's general meaning before you can read the legend. That's important: by the time you can read the words on a highway sign, you may already need to act on it. Train yourself to recognize the silhouette and palette as much as the text.
What it means in practice
The normal route is closed. Follow the arrows to use the marked alternate route.
On a permit exam, this sign typically appears in one of two question formats. The first asks you to identify what the sign means based on its appearance alone. The second presents a driving scenario where this sign is posted and asks what action you should take. Either way, the answer flows from the meaning above — there is rarely a "trick" beyond reading the question carefully.
Where you'll see it
Like all construction signs, the Detour sign is placed by state and local transportation departments according to MUTCD spacing and visibility rules. Regulatory signs go where the rule applies; warning signs are placed far enough in advance to give drivers time to react; guide signs cluster around exits and intersections; and construction signs surround active work zones with extra reflectivity for night visibility.