Mexican Road Signs
Mexican Road Sign Translations from Spanish to English
For those of us who are "Spanish Challenged," driving through Mexico presents a few problems. A big one is knowing what all those road signs mean. Since the literal translation can be more confusing to Gringos than the Spanish, (ie: "CONCEDA CAMBIO DE LUCES" translates literally to " Grant Change Of Lights")
"No Deje Piedras Sobre El Pavimento" is a seemingly strange sign we have seen frequently while traveling through Mexico. It means, "Do Not Leave Stones On The Pavement". It's an interesting sign and necessary. People place stones (or fresh cut branches) on the road behind their car to warn others they are stopped or broken down. The problem arises when these people then drive off and leave the stones in the road, creating another road hazard.
We have listed below most of the signs we have seen on our travels through Mexico and the practical translation for each. We are not Spanish Speakers either, so if you find one or more of our translations to be incorrect, please Email us at Info@Consejo.Bz with the correct translation. On that note, a special thanks to reader Bill Malloy for corrections to spelling and orthography (proper use of accents). For example, SE USARA GRÚA means roughly Tow Truck Might Have Been Used, but SE USARÁ GRÚA means Tow Truck Will Be Used.
The international graphic signs are pretty self explanatory
Stop
Yield
Speed Limit
Inspection Area
2 Way Traffic
Keep Right
No Passing
One Way
No Parking
Parking OK
No Stopping
Speed Bumps
Center Divide
No Unloading
These Vehicles
Prohibited
Fresh Cut Branches Or Stones In The Road | Break Down Ahead |
SPANISH | ENGLISH |
ACOTAMIENTO | Soft Shoulders |
ALTO | Stop |
ÁREA DE DESCANSO | Rest Area |
ASCENSO Y DESCENSO DO PASAJE | Bus Stop Ahead |
CALLE SIN SALIDA | Dead End |
CAMELLON CENTRAL | Center Divider |
CAMINO CERRADO | Road Closed |
CAMINO SINUOSO | Winding Road |
CARRIL IZQUIERDO SOLO PARA REBASAR | Left lane Only for Passing |
CARRIL LATERAL SOLO POR VEHÍCULOS LIGEROS | Laterals Only for Light Vehicles |
CASETA DE COBRO | Toll Booth |
CEDA EL PASO AL PEATÓN | Give Way to Pedestrians |
CICLO PISTA/td> | Bicycle Path |
CON LLUVIA DISMINUYA SU VELOCIDAD | In Rain Reduce Your Speed |
CON NEBLINA ENCIENDA SUS LUCES | In Fog Turn on Lights |
CONCEDA CAMBIO DE LUCES | Dim Your Lights for Approaching Traffic |
CONSERVE LIMPIO QUINTANA ROO | Keep Quintana-Roo Clean |
CONSERVE SU DISTANCIA | Keep Your Distance |
CONSERVE SU DERECHA | Keep to Your Right |
CRUCE DE ESCOLARES | School Crossing |
CRUCE DE PEATONES | Pedestrian Crossing |
CUANDO TOMA NO MANEJE | When You Drink Don't Drive |
CUIDADO CON EL TREN | Careful Rail Road Crossing |
CURVA PELIGROSA | Dangerous Curve |
DESPACIO | Slow |
DEPÓSITOS DE BASURA EN CASETAS TELEFÓNICAS | Deposit Trash at the Telephone Booth |
DESVIACIÓN A 500 MTS | Detour in 500 Meters |
DISMINUYA SU VELOCIDAD | Slow Down |
ELIJA SU CARRIL OPORTUNAMENTE | Select Your Lane At Earliest Opportunity |
ENTRADA | Entrance |
ENTRADA Y SALIDA DE CAMIONES | Trucks Entering and Exiting |
ENTRONQUE PRÓXIMO | Interchange Near |
ENTRONQUE PELIGROSO | Dangerous Interchange |
ESTACIONAMIENTO SOLO PARA EMERGENCIAS | Emergency Parking Only |
ESTA CARRETERA NO ES DE ALTA VELOCIDAD | This is Not a High Speed Road |
ESTE CAMINO NO ES DE ALTA VELOCIDAD | Not a High-Speed Road |
EVITE ACCIDENTES | Avoid Accidents |
FELIZ VIAJE REBASE CON PRECAUCIÓN | Have a Good Trip - Pass with Caution |
CINTURÓN DE SEGURIDAD | Fasten Seat Belt (Safety Harness) |
GUARDE SU DISTANCIA | Keep Your Distance |
HOMBRES TRABAJANDO | Men at Work |
MANEJE CON PRECAUCIÓN | Drive with Caution |
MANEJE CON PRECAUCIÓN SU FAMILIA LE ESPERA | Drive with Caution Your Family Waits For You |
MAS VALE TARDE QUE NUNCA | Better late than never! |
MÁQUINA TRABAJANDO | Heavy Machines at Work |
NO CIRCULAR POR EL ACOTAMIENTO | No Driving On the Shoulders |
NO DE FRENTE | No Entry |
NO DEJE PIEDRAS SOBRE EL PAVIMENTO | Don't Leave Stones on The Highway |
NO DEJE PIEDRAS SOBRE EL ACOTAMIENTO | Don't Leave Stones on The Shoulder |
NO DOBLE RODADO | No Trucks with Duals |
NO ESTACIONARSE EN ACOTAMIENTO | No Parking On Shoulders |
NO MALTRATE LAS SEÑALES | Don't Damage the Signs |
NO MANEJE CANSADO | Don't Drive Tired |
NO REBASE CON RAYA CONTINUA | No Passing on a Continuous Line |
NO REBASE POR EL ACORTAMIENTO | No Passing on Shoulders |
NO REBASE | No Passing |
NO TIRE BASURA | Don't Throw Trash |
NO TRANSITE POR FRANJAS LATERALES | Do Not Drive on Shoulders |
NO UTILIZAR FRENO CON MOTOR | No Engine Braking |
OBEDEZCA LAS SEÑALES | Obey the Signs |
PARADERO | Bus Stop |
PAVIMENTO DERRAPANTE AL ESTAR HÚMEDO | Pavement Slick When Wet |
PLAZA DE COBRO | Toll Both |
POBLADO PRÓXIMO | Town Near |
POR TU SEGURIDAD RESPETE LAS SEÑALES | For your Safety Respect The Signs |
PELIGROSO | Dangerous |
PRECAUCIÓN CRUCE DE PEATONES | Caution Pedestrian Crossing |
PRECAUCIÓN ZONA ESCOLAR | Caution School Zone |
PRECAUCIÓN ZONA DE GANADO | Caution Livestock Zone |
PRECAUCIÓN ZONA DE TOLVANERAS | Precaution Wind Zone |
PRINCIPIA TRAMO EN REPARACIÓN | Main Highway Under Repair |
PRINCIPIA ZONA DE DERRUMBES | Begin Rockslide Area |
PRINCIPIA ZONA DE VADOS | Begin Area of Dips |
PROHIBIDO ESTACIONARSE | No Parking |
PROHIBIDO TIRAR BASURA | Throwing Thrash Prohibited |
PROHIBIDO TIRAR BASURA MULTA O CÁRCEL | Throwing Trash Punishable by Fine or Jail |
PUENTE ANGOSTO | Narrow Bridge |
RADAR EN OPERACIÓN | Radar in Operation |
REDUCCIÓN DE ACOTAMIENTOS | Reduction of Shoulders |
REDUCCIÓN A DOS CARRILES | Reduction to Two Lanes |
REDUCTOR DE VELOCIDAD | Speed Bumps |
RESPETE LIMITE DE VELOCIDAD | Obey the Speed Limit |
RETORNO A 2KM CARRIL IZQUIERDO | U-Turn In 2km Left Lane |
RUTA DE CAMIONES | Truck Route |
SALIDA | Exit |
SEMÁFORO EN OPERACIÓN | Stop Light In Operation |
SE USARÁ GRÚA | Tow-Away Zone |
SI TOMA NO MANEJE | Don't Drink and Drive |
TERMINA AMPLIACIÓN | End of Shoulders |
TERMINA ZONA DE DERRUMBES | End Rockslide Area |
TOPES | Speed Bumps |
TRAFICO PESADO | Heavy Traffic Go Right |
TRAMO EN REPARACIÓN | Road Repairs |
TRANSITO LENTO CARRIL DERECHO | Slow Traffic Keep Right |
TRÓPICO DE CÁNCER | Tropic of Cancer |
UN SOLO CARRIL | Single Lane |
USE EL CINTURÓN | DE SEGURO Buckle Up |
VADO PELIGROSO | Dangerous Dip |
ZONA URBANA | Urban Zone Slow Dow |