Warning Road Sign (W6-3)
Two-Way Traffic Ahead Sign Meaning & Driving Rules
Warns that you are transitioning from a one-way street or divided highway onto a two-way undivided roadway with oncoming traffic.
Required Driver Action & Right-of-Way Protocol
Stay strictly in the right-hand lane. Check your mirrors and be alert for oncoming traffic directly across the centerline.
Detailed Overview & Purpose
The Two-Way Traffic sign (W6-3) alerts drivers that they are leaving a one-way roadway or divided highway and entering an undivided road where opposing traffic travels in the adjacent lane.
This is one of the most critical warning signs in the MUTCD because drivers who mistakenly believe they are still on a one-way road risk head-on collisions.
Key Standard & Origin: Head-on collisions at two-way transitions have the highest fatality rates among all non-interstate crashes.
Where You'll Find This Sign
At the end of one-way streets, divided highway terminations, and temporary two-way construction diversions.
Common Driver Mistakes to Avoid
Driving in the left lane as if the street were still one-way, creating immediate head-on crash danger.
How This Sign Appears on the DMV Knowledge & Road Test
One of the most frequently asked questions on state DMV permit exams.
Legal Penalties and Moving Violations
Driving on the wrong side of a two-way street constitutes an automatic road test failure and heavy fine.
When you encounter the official Two-Way Traffic Ahead (W6-3) on a roadway, what is your legal duty?
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