Traffic　guide　signs　are　the　most　important　carriers　and　promulgators　of　traffic　management　and　the　road　net　geographical　information.　The　erection　of　the　guide　signs　has　a　direct　influence　on　driving　security　and　traffic　efficiency　of　the　road　net.　In　this　paper　the　drivers＇　cognitive　time　of　traffic　guide　signs　were　gained　by　the　special　designed　simulation　experiment.The　drivers＇　identifying　order　on　a　traffic　guide　sign　and　the　characteristic　of　indentifying　graphic　symbols　in　the　traffic　guide　signs　were　achieved　by　descriptive　statistics　and　difference　comparison　of　the　drivers＇　cognitive　time.　The　research　shows　the　driver＇s　identifying　order　is　from　left　to　right　and　up　to　down.　Furthermore,　the　graphic　symbols　have　great　influence　on　the　cognitive　time,　and,　this　influence　has　a　close　relation　with　the　driving　behavior.　At　the　same　time　the　result　approved　that　the　criterion　of　the　layout　order　of　the　information　in　the　traffic　guide　signs　is　reasonable　in　Chinese　national　standard.　©　2011　ASCE.