North America

Stop signs in Quebec will say "Arrêt".

US yield signs pair a red border with a white interior and the word ‘YIELD’

Canada’s identical shape lacks the text

Grey plastic cylinder with rounded or flat top. Bottom is painted black

Main reflector/s is usually white. Sometimes is yellow

This yellow diamond sign with a 'checkboard' patern border indicates a T-intersection.

These signs are diamond-shaped, while similar signs in the US are rectangular.

Shape: Thin semi-cylinder (Rectangle with rounded corners) with rounded top

Material: Plastic

Color: White

Reflector: One-side white/yellow rectangle near the top

Across both the US and Canada, roadside lines sit on wooden poles

Shape: Octagonal

Material: Concrete

Notes: Side holes are used rarely. Most of the time the wires are attached around the pole with metal brackets or bands

Shape: Wide cylindrical

Color: White or black

Speed limits are posted in miles per hour and clearance signs list feet and inches

Posts speeds in kilometres per hour (USA: mile per hour - imperial system)

Standard pattern is double solid yellow down the middle with solid white edge stripes

Type: Private

Shape: Short

Background: White

Text: Black

Additional details: Each state its own design. Front plates required

Camera: Generation 4

Car: Visible front of the regular car

Color: Blue

Camera: Generation 4

Car: Visible front of the regular car

Color: White-blue-white

Curbside mailboxes featuring a flip-up flag line suburban and rural roads

Regulatory plates read “MAXIMUM 90” (km/h), not “SPEED LIMIT 55” (mph) as in the US

Spelling: American English uses specific spelling conventions. This helps distinguish the United States from other English-speaking countries. Look for words like "center" (not "centre") or "license" (not "licence").

English-speaking Canada writes centre/colour (in American: center/color)

Words ‘ONE WAY’ on the arrow

Canadian signs don't use text

Shape: Cylinder (drum)

Material: Plastic

Color: Orange body with white bands and black base.

Camera: Generation 4

Car: Visible front of the regular car

Color: Black

US crossroads often mark side-roads with a white rectangle containing one or two black arrows

Every numeric speed-limit plate includes the words “SPEED LIMIT”; numbers frequently end in 5 because they refer to mph (mile per hour) rather than km/h.

Camera: Generation 4

Car: Visible front of the regular car

Color: White

Parking indicators are verbose, colour-coded plates (red, green or black lettering) often with arrows stating exact hours or directions.

At major intersections the signal heads hang from a horizontal metal bar spanning the carriageway

Shape: Shield-shaped

Text: “MEXICO” at the top and large numbers in the center

Color: White background and black text

White-clapboard or brick Baptist chapels appear in every state, with highest density in the South.

Extremely rare in Canada.

Shape: Octagonal

Text: ALTO (instead of STOP)

Color: Red background with white border

Extremely thick arrows on traffic signs

Clustered curbside boxes sporting the red Canada Post emblem appear nationwide

Background: Yellow

Arrows: Bold black

Road signs turn fully French in Québec and parts of New Brunswick, while the rest of Canada mixes English with occasional federal French.

Shape: Cylinder

Material: Plastic

Color: White with two narrow black-bands

Reflector: Rectangle yellow or white between black-bands

Quebec region

Background: Red

Arrows: Bold white

Additional details: Invert Canada’s usual yellow-and-blackchevron style

White flat bollard with black strip near the top.White/grey rectangle reflector placed inside black strip

Unlike Canada US warning boards often spell the hazard out—‘RAILROAD CROSSING’, or a paragraph beneath a yellow diamond.

Octagonal utility poles usually have yellow paint/plastic attachment with black text on it

Half of the states don't require front license plates

Shape: Rectangle cylinder with small holes

Material: Metall

Reflector: White square on the top

Some popular brands, like:

• Scotiabank, Canadian Tire, Esso, Shoppers Drug Mart

can be found in Canada, but not in the US

Shape: Inverted triangle

Color: Thick red border, white background

Camera: Generation 3

Car: Visible back of the regular car

Car color: White

Additional details (unique): White hole without antenna with small part of red backlight. Sometimes backlight fully visible

Warning yellow attachment on wooden poles

Camera: Generation 3

Car: Visible back of the regular car

Color: White with red around antenna

Antenna: Black antenna in the center of the back of the car with little diagonal black stipe

Cylinder plastic white with black-banded top.

Reflector is orange rounded stripe in the center

Interstates use large, curved-corner green panels with white text

Canadian motorway signs keep sharper/rounded 90-degree edges.

Metal fences in concrete guardrails between roads are common

Shape: Stick with diamond on the top

Material: Metall

Color: White-green or any

Reflector: Diamond on the top

Shape: Rectangle with rounded corners and black border

Text: km on the top and 2 or 3 numbers under the 'km' text

Color: White background, black text

Color: Black-and-white diagonal stripes

Québec road shields are distinctive. Two types are common:

• Vertical rectangle with a pointed top, resembling a medieval shield, with three "fleur-de-lys" French lily symbols.

• Blue rectangle with a rounded arch bottom (resembling U.S. Interstate signs).

Camera: Generation 2

Additional details (unique): Not visible car with big blur

Extremely rare Gen 1 coverage

Gen-2 coverage appears in North America

Long white bollards with a red,white or green reflector at the top

A lot of stop signs in New Brunswick will say both Stop and Arrêt on the same sign.