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Whether you're preparing for your theory test or have been behind the wheel for decades, understanding the rules of the road remains the cornerstone of safe driving.

Road signs are crucial to recognise and comprehend, as they alert cars and other vehicles to upcoming hazards such as roadworks.

Now, one theory test expert has shed light on what a frequently misunderstood sign means, commonly found on "dangerous" roads.

Annie, known as Theory Test Practice, broke down the triangular warning sign, which depicts a car with stones flying up from its tyres.

Addressing her 1.2million TikTok followers, she began: "Do you know what this sign means? Look at the tyres, you can see there's bits of stone flying up from the tyres and that's because it's warning you loose chippings.

"So loose chippings is - look at the road surface - it's quite gravely, it's quite stony. So if you drive over that too fast, then those chippings are going to hit your car, hit your windscreen, it's also much more of a skid risk."

She noted the sign also recommends adhering to the 20mph speed limit, but added: "You might want to go slower than that when those loose chippings have just been laid.

"When they're embedded into the tarmac, you might want to go faster than that because this is a recommended speed limit."

Wrapping up her post, Annie said: "So I'm hoping you now understand what this sign means, it's a triangle sign, it's a warning sign.

"It's warning you to be careful, this is not a really great surface to drive on."

According to GOV.UK, road signs are classified by shape and colour to denote their purpose.

Circles issue orders, triangles indicate warnings, while rectangles convey information.

Among the most frequently encountered road signs are the maximum and national speed limit signs. No entry signs, depicted as a red circle featuring a white horizontal bar, are equally significant.

Additionally, the give way sign (an inverted white triangle with a red border) and the stop sign (an octagonal sign demanding a complete halt) are essential to recognise.

• Red-bordered circles (prohibitions)
• Blue circles (positive instructions)
• Red triangles (hazards)
• Blue/green/white rectangular direction signs

• Stop Sign - shape and colour: Octagonal, red with white letters
• Yield Sign - shape and colour: Triangular with a red border
• Speed Limit Sign
• Pedestrian Crossing Sign
• Traffic Signal Ahead Sign
• No Parking Sign
• No U-Turn Sign
• School Zone Sign