W401
At a glance
- Sign code
- W401
- Type
- Warning
- Official meaning
- Hazard marker (danger plate) indicating an obstruction or change in the road edge, with the markings pointing toward the side on which traffic should pass.
What the Danger plate sign means
A roadside danger plate marking an obstruction or the edge of the carriageway. The red and white stripes guide you around the hazard.
What you must do
Slow down, keep clear of the marked obstruction, and steer toward the open side that the chevron/stripes indicate.
Know the mistake this sign turns on
Full access adds the confusion Danger plate 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 W401 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 2026-08-23.