What shape is a yield sign in the US?

In the United States, a yield sign is a downward-pointing triangle.

Its inverted triangular shape tells approaching drivers to give the right of way to traffic on the intersecting or merging roadway. Drivers must slow down and be prepared to stop when necessary; unlike a stop sign, a yield sign does not require a complete stop if the way is clear and no conflicting traffic has priority.

The U.S. sign has changed over time. Tulsa police officer Clinton Riggs designed an early yield sign, which was first erected in Tulsa in 1950. That version used a keystone shape and the words “Yield Right of Way.” The triangular form became the modern U.S. standard, and the sign’s colors also changed: the present red-and-white appearance was adopted in the early 1970s.

The downward-pointing triangle is unusual among American road signs, making it recognizable even when the lettering is obscured. It is also an international convention: the Vienna Convention standard uses an inverted equilateral triangle, generally with a red border and white or yellow interior. The U.S. shape is therefore both a national traffic cue and part of a broader global sign system.