It’s very important that as a vehicle operator, you understand what is meant by the various road signs you encounter while driving. Many of these signs convey information that can be very useful, and at times even critical for drivers to know when going through a particular area. Sometimes hazardous conditions are ahead, and if you couldn’t understand the meaning of a sign which imparted that information, you might be caught completely unaware of the situation.
Of course, not all signs are meant to convey such important information about road conditions, and many of these are merely informative signs which might help you locate a landmark or an attraction in an area you’re visiting. It is worth your while to brush up on your sign meanings if you realize someday that you’ve been seeing a number of signs you just don’t understand, because you might really be missing out on some things. Continue reading below to discover the meaning of the road sign which is marked ‘Dip’.
What Does the Road Sign ‘Dip’ Mean?
When you see a yellow colored sign with a black border, and the word DIP printed in the center, this is meant to indicate that there is a low area in just up ahead. Under normal dry conditions, this shouldn’t really be any kind of a problem for motorists, but if it happens to be raining or if you’re in the period after a rain has already fallen, there might well be a puddle of some size collected in the roadway.
If you happen to be driving at a high rate of speed and you run into a fairly large puddle of water, it can result in your vehicle hydroplaning, and you could easily lose control of your vehicle. If it has been consistently dry then you shouldn’t have to worry too much about a DIP sign, but if there has been a recent rain or if it’s raining while you are driving, you should immediately reduce your speed so you don’t run through a puddle and lose control of your vehicle.
What Do I Need to Do When I See One?
When you do encounter a road sign marked DIP, the best course of action to take will almost always be to slow down in preparation for going through the depressed area ahead. As the sign is intended to indicate that there is a low spot in the roadway, there is a considerable chance that your vehicle could be damaged if you go through it at regular speed.
If the dip lasts any longer than a few feet, there is also a very realistic chance that some loss of control will take place, and that you’ll lose at least partial control of your vehicle. Even on a perfectly dry surface, it’s possible for you to sustain some kind of damage to your vehicle, for instance to your vehicle’s shock absorbers, if there is a severe bounce when going through the dip.
This is why it’s always a good idea when observing this type of sign to immediately slow your vehicle in preparation for driving through a low area. It’s not worth taking a risk to your vehicle, or to yourself and any passengers, to continue driving through at a high rate of speed which might endanger everyone.
Purchase Quality and MUTCD-Compliant Road Signs
Road signs provide a very valuable service to all motor vehicle operators on the highway, alerting them to potential hazards in the area, helping them find their destinations, and advising them about prevailing conditions such as area speed limits. Virtually every governmental agency in the country is obliged to install signs and other traffic support devices in order to keep roads safe, and to assist motorists with directions and discovering other useful information.
If you work for an agency that is in need of updated traffic control devices or accessories, we have everything you will need at Worksafe Traffic Control Industries. We proudly offer high-quality traffic control devices, and everything needed to support them. Contact us today with any inquiries you may have about our product lines, or if you wish to place an order which we can ship to you promptly. Be sure to look through our online catalog, because we will definitely have a great many more traffic control devices than you might be aware of, and some of these may be ideal for use in your community, or long roadsides in your area.