One way sign
What the One way sign means: Traffic on this road travels in the direction of the arrow only.
- Group
- Regulatory signs
- Does this group carry the law
- Enforceable. Disobeying one is an offence in itself.
- In the sign deck
- 3 questions ask about this sign
What to do when you see it
- Travel only in the direction the arrow points.
- Expect no oncoming traffic, so you can use either side of the road to overtake or to position for a turn.
- Look for parked cars on both sides, and for people stepping out from between them on the side you would not normally watch.
- Never enter the street from the other end, where a no entry sign will be facing you.
Where you see it
On inner city grids, around town centres, on either side of a divided pair of streets, and inside large car parks.
Across the states and territories
Used identically nationally. One way networks are denser in the older inner suburbs of Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Hobart than in newer outer areas, so the sign is far more common in some parts of a state than others.
Tell it apart from these
- One waythis pageKeep left
Keep left points you around an obstruction. One way sets the direction of the whole street.
Keep left: Pass on the left side of the sign, so keep to the left of the island or divider ahead.
- One waythis pageNo entry
These two mark opposite ends of the same street. The arrow shows the legal direction, the disc blocks the illegal end.
No entry: You must not drive past this sign into the road ahead.
How the knowledge tests use it
A frequent question is whether you may overtake on the left in a one way street. On a multi lane one way road you may, which surprises people who have learned only the general keep left rule.
What does this sign mean?
A one way sign describes the whole road, not just your lane. Every vehicle on it travels the same way, so you may use any lane that suits your next turn.
State and territory driver handbooks, regulatory signs
Common questions
- What does the One way sign mean?
- Traffic on this road travels in the direction of the arrow only.
- What should you do when you see a One way sign?
- Travel only in the direction the arrow points. Expect no oncoming traffic, so you can use either side of the road to overtake or to position for a turn. Look for parked cars on both sides, and for people stepping out from between them on the side you would not normally watch. Never enter the street from the other end, where a no entry sign will be facing you.
- Where is the One way sign used?
- On inner city grids, around town centres, on either side of a divided pair of streets, and inside large car parks.
- What is the One way sign confused with?
- Keep left: Keep left points you around an obstruction. One way sets the direction of the whole street. No entry: These two mark opposite ends of the same street. The arrow shows the legal direction, the disc blocks the illegal end.
- How do the knowledge tests ask about the One way sign?
- A frequent question is whether you may overtake on the left in a one way street. On a multi lane one way road you may, which surprises people who have learned only the general keep left rule.
Try it in a question
Original practice questions, not the official bank. How we write and check them.
More regulatory signs
Mostly white with red or black, and usually round or rectangular.