RM8
At a glance
- Sign code
- RM8
- Type
- Road Marking
- Official meaning
- Yellow arrows (variants RM8.1 to RM8.6) marked in a traffic lane, imposing a mandatory requirement to proceed only in a direction the arrow indicates. They are most often seen on the approach to a junction, but may be used wherever lane movements are controlled. Three of the six variants show a single direction and three show a choice of two; where two are shown, either is permitted and nothing else is.
What the Mandatory Direction Arrows sign means
A yellow arrow painted in your lane tells you which way you must go from that lane. Some arrows show one direction, others show two — you must take one of the directions shown.
What you must do
Read the arrow early and get into the correct lane well before the junction. Once you are in the lane, take only the direction shown, even if the queue next to you is shorter.
Know the mistake this sign turns on
Full access adds the confusion Mandatory Direction Arrows is most often mistaken for and the hint for the test, on this sign and every other one — plus practice questions and timed mock papers. The practice sample and the readiness test are free.
See the free practice testSources
- Road Traffic Signs chart, National Department of TransportThe official chart. Sign RM8 was checked against it, artwork and meaning, before being published here.
- National Road Traffic Regulations, 2000 — Schedule 1Where the prescribed meaning of each road traffic sign is set out.
Last updated 2026-09-04.