Warning signs

Distance plate below a warning sign

Plate below some signs

What does this sign mean?

A rectangular plate fitted under a warning sign tells you how far ahead the hazard begins, or in some cases how far it continues. Without the plate you know only that something is coming; with it you can judge exactly when to act. Read the sign and the plate together and time your braking to arrive at the hazard at a sensible speed rather than reacting at the last moment. Theory test items often show a triangle with a plate and ask what the figures mean, so treat the plate as part of the message.

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