Bump sign: what it means
The BUMP sign warns of a sharp rise in the road surface ahead. Slow down so you do not lose control or damage your car.
What does the BUMP sign mean?
MUTCD Section 2C.26 says BUMP signs should be used before a sharp rise in the profile of the road. An Advisory Speed plaque may be added.
Quick quiz
What does the sign at the top of this page mean?
- A sharp dip in the road ahead.
- A sharp rise in the road ahead.
- The road can be slippery when wet.
Show answer
B. A sharp rise in the road ahead. A sharp rise in the road ahead (MUTCD Section 2C.26). Source: MUTCD 11th Edition, Chapter 2C, Warning Signs and Object Markers: Sections 2C.26, 2C.27, FHWA; MUTCD 11th Edition, FHWA
Where will you see it?
On rural roads, at old bridges and over pipes or rail tracks that raise the road.
What should you do?
Slow down before the bump, to the advisory speed if shown, and keep both hands on the wheel.
What do people get wrong?
Mistaking it for a speed hump in a parking lot. A road bump at highway speed can throw a car off line.
Common questions
Is a BUMP sign the same as a SPEED HUMP sign?
No. SPEED HUMP signs warn of humps built to slow traffic (MUTCD Section 2C.27). BUMP warns of a sharp rise in the road.
Can a BUMP sign have a speed on it?
Yes, on an Advisory Speed plaque below it (Section 2C.26).
Compare with
Want to test someone else? Play a road-sign quiz with friends and family.
Sources
Checked on 3 November 2026 against the MUTCD 11th Edition (FHWA), Sections 2C.26 and 2C.27.
- MUTCD 11th Edition, Chapter 2C, Warning Signs and Object Markers: Sections 2C.26, 2C.27, FHWA
- MUTCD 11th Edition, FHWA. FHWA lists the current version as the 11th Edition with Revision 1, dated December 2025
Sign pictures are our own simplified drawings of the MUTCD designs, which are in the public domain (MUTCD Section 1D.06). Sources and image credits.