Traffic　guide　signs　are　very　important　for　traffic　safety.　The　selection　and　layout　of　information　has　a　strong　impact　on　the　effectiveness　of　guide　signs.　All　of　the　previous　studies　on　the　traffic　guide　signs　are　aimed　at　characters,　even　though　graphic　symbols　are　a　main　feature　of　these　kinds　of　signs.　This　research　does　not　only　take　the　traffic　guide　symbol　from　previous　character　recognizing　experiments,　it　selects　guide　signs,　which　contain　the　basic　graphic　symbol　or　other　typical　graphic　symbols,　as　the　experimental　subject　and　acquired　the　recognizing　time　for　the　graphic　symbols　through　a　specially　designed　simulation　experiment.　The　relation　between　the　recognition　time　of　characters　and　graphic　symbols　was　revealed　by　descriptive　statistics　and　difference　comparison.　The　information　quantity　checking　standard　for　the　graphic　symbols　was　given　and　modification　suggestions　for　the　national　standard　were　provided.　©　2011　ASCE.