Driver's License Test Prep
Oregon Practice Guide Signs

What does a route marker shield along an Oregon road tell you?

  1. A.
    Which lane to use for through traffic.
  2. B.
    How fast you may legally drive there.
  3. C.
    Whether the road is interstate, U.S., or state. Correct
  4. D.
    How many miles remain to a city.
The Why

The answer is "Whether the road is interstate, U.S., or state."

Route markers tell you which route you are on and whether the road is an interstate, U.S. route, or state highway. Each tier gets its own shield shape. Drivers who read the numeral inside the shield as a posted speed limit pick B; that number is the route number, and legal speed limits ride on separate black-on-white regulatory signs.

Why the others miss

The traps in the wrong answers

A. Which lane to use for through traffic.

Lane assignments are shown on lane-use control signs, not on route shields. The route signs section of the manual says nothing about which lane to occupy. This answer treats any roadside shield with a numeral as a lane instruction, the way overhead lane-use signs call out through lanes on multi-lane highways.

B. How fast you may legally drive there.

Speed limits appear on regulatory speed limit signs, not on route shields. A route shield names the road, it does not post a legal limit. This answer reads the route number stamped on the shield as a posted mph, the way a black-on-white regulatory sign shows its limit.

D. How many miles remain to a city.

Mileage to a city is shown on green guide or information signs, not on route shields. The shield carries a route number, not a distance figure. This answer blurs the shield with the green mileage panels often bolted to the same post, so the shield gets credited with the distance figure below it.

The Rule

This question tests your knowledge of Guide Signs in Oregon. Source: Oregon Driver Manual, "Route, Guide, and Information Signs," p.13..

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