BAD SIGN FOR ROAD USERS; Many drivers are baffled by Highway Code rules.

AS MANY as two thirds of UK motorists are unable to recognise the "no vehicles" road sign, according to a new study.

More than a third of drivers admitted they didn't know what the sign represented and 21 per cent wrongly guessed that it was an instruction to obey the next warning sign.

Only one in three drivers correctly identified the meaning of the sign - a red circle over a white background - according to the poll carried out by website Moneysupermarket.com.

Another sign that confuses road users is the blue-and-white one advising that a minimum speed limit of 30mph applies.

Researchers found that 43 per cent of those questioned believed it meant they shouldn't drive faster than 30mph.

Most motorists did, however, manage to correctly identify the sign that informs road users that oncoming traffic has right of way.

Steve Sweeney, the website's head of motor insurance, said: "It is worrying to see so many British motorists 'crash and burn' when tested on standard Highway Code rules.We are required by law to be able to recognise and adhere to the rules of the Highway Code.

"Any motorist found to be flouting the rules could be fined, given penalty points on their licence or, worse still, disqualified from driving altogether and sent to prison."

The survey also revealed that 23 per cent of motorists were not aware that pedestrians should be their main priority when turning into a side road.

And when asked about the key consideration when carrying out a U-turn, only a quarter knew that signalling so other drivers can slow down is the correct action to take.

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DRAWING A BLANK: Most drivers don't know what this sign means