A Blue Stop Sign Still Means to Stop, as You Might Have Guessed From the Name

Where would we be without stop signs? These red, octagonal signs are a huge part of what organizes traffic across America, and they're a pretty universal signal to drivers that they should stop.

Even before you know how to read them, many children know what stop signs are because they're almost always red. Sometimes, though, a blue one shows up. If you've ever seen a blue stop sign, you might be wondering what it means. Here's what we know.

A blue stop sign means exactly the same thing as a red one: It means you should stop. The difference between blue stop signs and red ones is that blue ones aren't issued by the federal government.

Blue stop signs aren't usually permitted on public roads, which are where the government is responsible for traffic laws. You might encounter them on private property, though, and they simply mean that the property owner thinks there's some reason you should stop.

Are you likely to get pulled over or ticketed for running through a blue stop sign? Because they're on private property, you're probably safe there. But as is the case for red stop signs, the blue stop sign was put there not as an inconvenience, but because those familiar with the property know that it's a good place for drivers to stop.

This could mean that there are often pedestrians crossing at this spot, or there's often cross traffic, or it's a particularly dangerous stretch of road, and you should slow down before you attempt it. Whatever their reason, people rarely put up stop signs for no reason, especially when they have to purchase them with their own money because they aren't being issued by the federal government.

So yes, a blue stop sign does mean that the stop sign isn't from the government, and therefore that it's not legally enforced. But if you ever see one, you should still respect it the same way you might respect any other stop sign. We all know that red stop signs are easier to recognize, and we all know what they mean. But after all, even though the color is different, the sign still says stop.

Blue stop signs are apparently most common in Hawaii. When you encounter them on vacation, or because you've moved to Hawaii, you should respect them the same way you would any other sign.

Blue stop signs are, of course, slightly easier to miss. The stop signs are red in the first case because that is a color that stands out, especially in the outdoors.

Still, if you see a stop sign, regardless of its color, you shouldn't wonder about what it means. Stop means stop, and you should trust that there are people more familiar with this road than you who have put the sign out for a good reason, whether it was put out by the government or not.