Learn what blue stop signs actually mean and how they vary from traditional red stop signs.
We’re all familiar with the standard red stop sign, from primary school shape and color teachings to crossing guard supervision and, finally, driving on our own. While uncommon, a blue stop sign may appear on a road in the United States or elsewhere. What does a blue stop sign imply, and where can you find one? Are they utilized for different purposes than the standard red signs?
What Does a Blue Stop Sign Mean?
In the United States, a blue stop sign still indicates that you must come to a complete stop before advancing. These blue signs have the same octagonal shape as the typical stop sign, but they are not issued by state or federal authorities and are not official traffic control signs. However, they share the same objective.
Since the 1950s, all stop signs in the United States have been required to be red, according to the Federal Highway Administration’s Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). The color red was chosen for its visibility, and a national standard makes stop signs easy to spot.
Blue stop signs are not used on official roadways in the United States, but they do exist in other nations to denote restricted access or no-entry zones.
What States/Countries Have Blue Stop Signs?
In the United States, you should only see blue stop signs in private areas. Large estates, ranches, private golf courses, or country clubs could utilize blue stop signs to direct drivers to stop. Hawaii, in particular, has a large number of blue stop signs due to state rules that ban official traffic signs on private land. Blue stop signs allow property owners to signal traffic to stop without breaking any laws.
Blue stop signs may appear in nations such as Japan, South Korea, and Mexico, although their meaning differs from that of the United States. Rather than signaling a stop and then proceeding, these blue signs usually denote limited regions or no-entry zones. In this scenario, blue stop signs direct drivers to turn around and not proceed.
Even in countries where blue stop signs are officially utilized, red octagonal signs remain the standard for directing drivers to stop. In 1968, the United Nations established worldwide road sign regulations to improve driving safety across borders. These worldwide standards include the red octagonal stop sign, which is widely used on most roads across the world.
Can I Put a Blue Stop Sign Near My Home?
If you possess a big private property with a network of roads, you can place a blue stop sign. According to Gundersen, “blue stop signs are not authorized on public ways,” in Massachusetts or any other state in the United States. This means that no blue stop sign can be legally installed on municipal or public roadways.
There is also some question as to whether blue stop signs can be enforced. Regardless of its legal status, if you see a blue stop sign in the United States, it is there for a reason. Before going, always stop and check that the area is clear.
