Danger plate — South African Road Sign W402

A roadside danger plate marking an obstruction or the edge of the carriageway. The red and white stripes guide you around the hazard. Slow down, keep clear of the marked obstruction, and steer toward the open side that the chevron/stripes indicate.

Danger plate road sign

W402

At a glance

Sign code
W402
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 test

Sources

  • Road Traffic Signs chart, National Department of TransportThe official chart. Sign W402 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.

Keep reading