A traffic information update method includes recognizing, by a terminal, a first traffic sign from a road image; detecting whether traffic information of the terminal includes first alert information corresponding to the first traffic sign; if the traffic information of the terminal does not include the first alert information, generating a traffic sign adding instruction corresponding to the first traffic sign; and sending the traffic sign adding instruction to a server. After finding a new traffic sign, the terminal may report a content indication and a location indication of the traffic sign to the server such that the server can directly update traffic information according to the information reported by the terminal.