What shape and colour is the slippery when wet sign?

A diamond, coloured yellow. Its official MUTCD code is W8-5.

On the road marked by this sign, you should expect:

Reduced traction in rain, and should slow down and avoid sudden inputs

Standing water deep enough to stall an engine

It is raining and you pass this sign. What is the correct way to drive the stretch ahead?

Ease off the speed and avoid sudden steering, braking or acceleration

Brake firmly early to test how much grip the tires have

Speed up so the tires cut through the film of water

Move onto the shoulder, where the surface is rougher

Slippery When Wet Sign (W8-5)

The slippery when wet sign is a diamond and its colour is yellow. It is a warning sign: something ahead — a curve, a crossing, a change in the road — needs you to slow down and adjust what you are doing.

At a glance

Shape	diamond
Color	yellow
Category	Warning signs
MUTCD code	W8-5

Public domain — Wikimedia Commons

How the test asks about it

0 of 2 answeredScore: 0/2

1.
On the road marked by this sign, you should expect:
Not quiteCorrect answer: B — Reduced traction in rain, and should slow down and avoid sudden inputs
The surface loses grip when wet. Braking, steering and accelerating all need to be gentler and earlier than on a normal road.
The danger is not only heavy rain. The first few minutes of light rain lift oil off the surface and are often the most slippery of all.
2.
It is raining and you pass this sign. What is the correct way to drive the stretch ahead?
Not quiteCorrect answer: B — Ease off the speed and avoid sudden steering, braking or acceleration
The sign marks a surface that loses grip when wet. The grip you have is spent either on turning or on stopping, so gentle inputs and a lower speed keep enough of it in reserve for whichever you suddenly need.
Believing four-wheel drive or new tires make the warning irrelevant. Drive systems help you get moving; nothing but lower speed helps you stop on a slick surface.

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