Road signs: free practice test

FAQ: Road signs and how to pass the Regitra test without stress

1. What do road signs mean, and why are they needed?

Why do we need them at all?

Imagine a road without rules: complete chaos, collisions and conflict. Under KET, the Lithuanian Road Traffic Rules, signs perform four functions:

1. Keep you safe: They warn you about hazards, such as a sharp bend, an elk on the road or a slippery surface.

2. Maintain order: They indicate who has priority and who must give way.

3. Prevent dangerous actions: They impose speed limits and prohibit overtaking where it would be unsafe.

4. Help you find your way: They direct you to towns, filling stations and places of interest.

How many signs must you learn?

Lithuania has approximately 340 signs and road-marking elements. That may sound like a lot, but they are divided into logical groups. You do not need to memorise each one mechanically; understanding the underlying principle is what matters.

What is the difference between a road sign and markings on the road?

• Road signs: Metal panels mounted on posts. These vertical signs are easier to see, even when snow covers the road.

• Road markings: Painted lines, arrows and other markings on the road surface.

• MOST IMPORTANT RULE: If a road sign and the road markings give conflicting instructions, follow the sign. For example, if a yellow line prohibits parking but a sign permits it, the sign takes precedence.

2. How can you distinguish between signs? Colours and shapes

Signs are divided into groups to make them easier to understand. Once you identify the group, you already know much of the answer.

I. Warning signs (triangles with a red border)

• What they do: They say, “Take care! There is a hazard ahead.”

• What you should do: Ease off the accelerator and pay close attention.

• Where they are placed: Outside built-up areas, they are positioned 150–300 m before the hazard; in built-up areas, 50–100 m before it.

• Examples: “Children,” warning that pupils may run into the road, and “Slippery road.”

II. Priority signs (various shapes)

• What they do: They resolve the question, “Who goes first?”

• The most important signs:

  • Diamond (Priority road): You have priority.

  • Inverted triangle (Give way): You must give way to other road users.

  • STOP: You must stop completely, so the wheels are no longer moving, and give way to other road users.

III. Prohibitory signs (circles with a red border)

• What they do: They say “NO”: no entry, no turning or no stopping, depending on the sign.

• Golden rule: Most of these signs apply from the sign to the nearest junction. If there is no junction, they apply to the end of the built-up area.

• Examples: “Speed limit 50” and “No overtaking.”

IV. Other signs (blue)

• Blue circles (mandatory signs): They require you to follow the indicated direction, for example “Straight ahead only.”

• Blue rectangles (information signs): They provide information, for example “Motorway” or “One-way traffic.”

3. Who takes precedence on the road? The hierarchy

Traffic situations can contain apparently conflicting instructions. What should you do if the traffic light is green but a police officer directs you to stop?

The order of precedence, from highest to lowest, is:

1. Traffic officer: A police officer directing traffic has the highest priority. Follow the officer’s instructions.

2. Traffic lights: When operating, follow the signals.

3. Road signs: If the traffic lights are not operating, are flashing amber or are absent, follow the road signs.

4. Road markings: Lines and other road markings come last in this hierarchy.

What does “Give way” mean?

It means that your actions must not force another road user to brake or change direction. You must not impede them.

How can I tell whether I am on the priority road if there is no sign?

• If you are travelling on a paved road and the joining road is gravel, you are on the priority road.

• When leaving a yard or forest road, you must always give way to traffic on the road.

4. How should you prepare for the test?

Simply reading the handbook is not enough. You need to practise.

• Complete practice tests:KET tests online. They are the best form of practice.

• Analyse mistakes: If you answer incorrectly, do not click “Next” immediately. Stop and work out WHY. That is the only way to learn.

• Study by category: Do not try to learn everything at once. Study warning signs one day and prohibitory signs the next.

5. Tricky questions: where do learners most often make mistakes?

Regitra uses these points to check whether you genuinely understand the rules rather than merely memorising answers.

1. “No stopping” (X) versus “No parking” (/)

• Blue background with an X: This is the stricter prohibition. You may not stop even briefly, except in an emergency such as a breakdown.

• Blue background with one diagonal bar (/): This is less restrictive. You may stop briefly to let someone out or unload items, but you may not leave the vehicle parked while you go for coffee.

2. The priority road changes direction (the thick-line supplementary plate)

A supplementary plate with a thick curved line below the “Priority road” sign shows the direction followed by the priority road.

• The rule is simple: If you and another driver are both on the priority road, or both on minor roads, the priority-to-the-right rule applies. Give way to the vehicle approaching from your right.

3. Does the “No left turn” sign permit a U-turn?

YES. This catches many learners out.

• The sign prohibits only a left turn into another road. A U-turn is permitted unless another rule prohibits it, for example at a pedestrian crossing.