Warning signs

Stop sign ahead

A stop sign is ahead; prepare to stop.

Slow down and look for the stop sign and any stop line. The advance warning is placed before the point where you must stop.

The United States’ W3-1 is a yellow diamond showing a black upward arrow above a red stop-sign symbol. Germany’s 205 is a Give Way sign, but it can announce a stop ahead when accompanied by a plate bearing the word Stop and a distance.

How it looks in each country

Official sign in each country; the code is its number in the national rules. Signs that come in two directions show the left and the right version.

Image credits

Sign images from Wikimedia Commons, used under their licences.

Vienna Convention model A,21a: United Nations, Public domain
Argentina P-33(a): มองโกเลีย๔๔, CC BY-SA 4.0
Australia W3-1: Standards Australia, Public domain
Austria 23: File:Vorschriftszeichen 23.svg: 3247 File:Zusatztafel c.svg: 3247 derivative work: Fredddie, Public domain
Belgium B7: Userc11, Public domain
Brazil A-15: Departamento Nacional de Infraestrutura de Transportes, Public domain
Bulgaria Т8: มองโกเลีย๔๔, Public domain
Canada WB-001: Transportation Association of Canada, Public domain
Chile PO-13: Government of Chile – National Traffic Safety Commission, Public domain
Colombia SP-29: Gobierno de Colombia, Public domain
Denmark UB11.1: Bewitchedroutine, Public domain
Estonia 816: Gigillo83, Public domain
Finland H5: Republic of Finland, Public domain
France AB5: Roulex 45, CC BY-SA 3.0
Greece: EthanL13, Public domain
Hungary 16: Fry1989 eh?, Public domain
Ireland W-040: Government of Ireland – Department of Transport, Public domain
Israel 139: Government of Israel, Public domain
Italy Fig. II 39: Original: Ministero dei Lavori Pubblici Vectorization: Arbalete, Public domain
Latvia 802: UrSuS, CC BY-SA 4.0
Lithuania 804: Gigillo83, CC BY-SA 4.0
Malaysia WD18: Public Works Department Malaysia, Public domain
Mexico SP-31: Original: Secretaría de Infraestructura, Comunicaciones y Transportes / Secretaría de Desarrollo Agrario, Territorial y Urbano Vector: Too Classy for This World, Public domain
Norway 824: Norwegian Public Roads Administration, Public domain
Philippines W3-2: Department of Public Works and Highways (Philippines) Sign redrawn by TagaSanPedroAko., Public domain
Portugal Modelo 1b: Gigillo83, CC BY-SA 4.0
Romania P17: Gigillo83, CC BY-SA 4.0
Saudi Arabia: มองโกเลีย๔๔, CC BY-SA 4.0
Slovakia 511: Krumpi, Public domain
Slovenia IV-1.1: Government of Slovenia, Public domain
South Africa W302: Southern African Development Community, Public domain
Thailand ต-54: Government of Thailand, Public domain
United Arab Emirates 428: มองโกเลีย๔๔, Public domain
United States W3-1: Federal Highway Administration – United States Department of Transportation, Public domain