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![]() Signatories and ratifications as of April 2023 Signed Ratified Accession / succession Uses the SADC Convention Uses the SICA Convention | |
Signed | 8 November 1968 |
---|---|
Location | Vienna |
Effective | 6 June 1978 |
Condition | Ratification by 15 states |
Signatories | 35 |
Parties | 71 |
Depositary | UN Secretary-General |
Languages | Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish |
The Convention on Road Signs and Signals, commonly known as the Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals, is a multilateral treaty to standardize the signing system for road traffic (road signs, traffic lights and road markings) in use internationally.
This convention was agreed upon by the United Nations Economic and Social Council at its Conference on Road Traffic in Vienna 7 October to 8 November 1968, was concluded in Vienna on 8 November 1968, and entered into force on 6 June 1978. This conference also produced the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic, which complements this legislation by standardising international traffic laws.
The convention revised and substantially extended the earlier 1949 Geneva Protocol on Road Signs and Signals, [1] itself based in turn on the 1931 Geneva Convention concerning the Unification of Road Signals. Amendments, including new provisions regarding the legibility of signs, priority at roundabouts, and new signs to improve safety in tunnels were adopted in 2003.
Both the Vienna Convention and the Geneva Protocol were formed according to consensus on road traffic signs that evolved primarily in 20th century continental Western Europe. In order to make it as universal as possible, the convention allows some variations, for example danger warning signs can be triangular or square diamond in shape and road markings can be white or yellow. Though most UN members have not ratified the full treaty, the signs and legal principles enshrined in it form the basis of traffic law in a majority of places.
An alternative convention called the SADC-RTSM, provided by the Southern African Development Community (SADC), is used by ten countries in southern Africa. Many of the rules and principles of the SADC-RTSM are similar to those of the Vienna Convention.
In the United States, signs are based on the US Federal Highway Administration's Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. Signs in the MUTCD are often more text-oriented, though some signs do use pictograms as well. Canada and Australia have road signs based substantially on the MUTCD. In South America, Ireland, several Asian countries (Cambodia, Japan, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia) and New Zealand, road signage is influenced by both the Vienna Convention and MUTCD. In Central America, road signs are heavily influenced by MUTCD and based on the Manual Centroamericano de Dispositivos Uniformes para el Control del Transito, a Central American Integration System (SICA) equivalent to the US MUTCD. [2]
In article 2 the convention classes all road signs into a number of categories (A – H):
The convention then lays out precise colours, sizes, and shapes for each of these classes of sign:
Class of sign | Shape | Ground | Border | Size | Symbol | Examples |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Danger warning sign | Equilateral triangle | White or yellow | Red | 0.9 m (large), 0.6 m (small) | Varies; Black or dark blue | ![]() ![]() |
Diamond | Yellow | Black | 0.6 m (large), 0.4 m (small) | Varies; Black or dark blue | ![]() | |
Priority signs | ||||||
Give Way sign | Inverted equilateral triangle | White or yellow | Red | 0.9 m (large), 0.6 m (small) | None | ![]() ![]() |
Stop sign | Octagon | Red | White | 0.9 m (large), 0.6 m (small) | Stop† written in white | ![]() |
Circular | White or yellow | Red | 0.9 m (large), 0.6 m (small) | Stop† written in black or dark blue inside red inverted triangle | ![]() ![]() | |
Priority road | Diamond | White | Black | 0.5 m (large), 0.35 m (small) | Yellow or orange square | ![]() ![]() |
End of priority road | Diamond | White | Black | 0.5 m (large), 0.35 m (small) | Yellow or orange square with black or grey diagonal lines crossing the sign | ![]() ![]() |
Priority for oncoming traffic | Circular | White or yellow | Red | Unspecified | Black arrow indicating direction with priority, red arrow indicating direction without | ![]() ![]() |
Priority over oncoming traffic | Rectangle | Blue | None | Unspecified | White arrow indicating direction with priority, red arrow indicating direction without | ![]() |
Prohibitory signs | ||||||
Standard prohibitory | Circular | White or yellow | Red | 0.6 m (large), 0.4 m (small) | Varies; black or dark blue | ![]() ![]() |
Parking prohibited | Circular | Blue | Red | 0.6 m (large), 0.2 m (small) | None | ![]() |
Circular | White or yellow | Red | 0.6 m (large), 0.2 m (small) | Initial letter or ideogram to denote parking; black or dark blue | ![]() ![]() | |
Stopping prohibited | Circular | Blue | Red | 0.6 m (large), 0.4 m (small) | None | ![]() |
End of prohibition | Circular | White or yellow | None | 0.6 m (large), 0.4 m (small) | Black or grey diagonal line | ![]() |
Mandatory signs | ||||||
Standard mandatory | Circular | Blue | None, white | 0.6 m (large), 0.4 m (small), 0.3 m (very small) | Varies, white | ![]() |
Circular | White or yellow | Red | 0.6 m (large), 0.4 m (small), 0.3 m (very small) | Varies, black or dark blue | ![]() ![]() | |
Special regulation signs | ||||||
All signs | Rectangular | Blue | Unspecified | Unspecified | Varies, white | ![]() |
Light | Unspecified | Unspecified | Varies, Black | ![]() | ||
Information, facilities or service signs | ||||||
All signs | Unspecified | Blue or green | Unspecified | Unspecified | Varies, on white or yellow rectangle | ![]() |
Direction, position or indication signs | ||||||
Informative signs | Rectangular, sometimes with arrowhead | Light | Unspecified | Unspecified | Varies, dark | ![]() |
Dark | Unspecified | Unspecified | Varies, light | ![]() | ||
Motorways | Rectangular | Blue or green | Unspecified | Unspecified | Varies, white | ![]() ![]() |
Temporary | Rectangular | Yellow or orange | Unspecified | Unspecified | Varies, black | ![]() |
Additional panels | ||||||
All panels | Unspecified | White, blue or yellow | Black, blue or red | Unspecified | Varies, black or dark blue | ![]() |
Black, red or dark blue | White, blue or yellow | Unspecified | Varies, white, blue or yellow | ![]() | ||
Class of sign | Shape | Ground | Border | Size | Symbol | Examples |
† May be written in English or the national language
It also specifies the symbols and pictograms which may be used, and the orientations in which they may be used. When more than one is available, the same one must be used nationally. All signs, except for those that do not apply at night, must be reflective enough to be seen in darkness with headlights from a distance.
The convention also specifies road markings. All such markings must be less than 6 mm high, with cat's eye reflectors no more than 15 mm above the road surface. The road markings shall be white or yellow. [3]
The length and width of markings varies according to purpose, although no exact figures for size are stated; roads in built up areas should use a broken line for lane division, while continuous lines must only be used in special cases, such as reduced visibility or narrowed carriageways.
All words painted on the road surface should be either of place names, or of words recognisable in most languages, such as "Stop" or "Taxi".
The Convention specifies the colours for traffic lights and their meanings, and places and purposes lights may be used for, like so:
Red flashing lights may only be used at the locations specified above; any other use of the lights is in breach of the convention. Red lights must be placed on top when lights are stacked vertically, or on the side closest to oncoming traffic if stacked horizontally.
The convention has 71 state parties and 35 signatories (including acceding members) as of October 2022: Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chile, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czechia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guyana, Holy See, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, North Macedonia, Madagascar, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Myanmar, Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Paraguay, the Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Uzbekistan, Venezuela and Vietnam. [4]
The only countries in Europe that are not parties to the convention are Andorra, Ireland, Iceland, Malta and Monaco. [4]
Countries in Asia that are not parties to the convention are Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Malaysia, People's Republic of China (including Hong Kong and Macau), Republic of China (Taiwan), Israel, Japan, Jordan, Lebanon, North Korea, Oman, Palestine, Syria and Yemen. Cambodia, Laos, and South Korea are all signatories, but have yet to ratify the convention. [4]
Other countries have not signed the convention; however, some have voluntarily adopted some Vienna convention signs. [5]
The Protocol for the Prohibition of the Use in War of Asphyxiating, Poisonous or other Gases, and of Bacteriological Methods of Warfare, usually called the Geneva Protocol, is a treaty prohibiting the use of chemical and biological weapons in international armed conflicts. It was signed at Geneva on 17 June 1925 and entered into force on 8 February 1928. It was registered in League of Nations Treaty Series on 7 September 1929. The Geneva Protocol is a protocol to the Convention for the Supervision of the International Trade in Arms and Ammunition and in Implements of War signed on the same date, and followed the Hague Conventions of 1899 and 1907.
A pedestrian crossing is a place designated for pedestrians to cross a road, street or avenue. The term "pedestrian crossing" is also used in the Vienna and Geneva Conventions, both of which pertain to road signs and road traffic.
The country in which a motor vehicle's vehicle registration plate was issued may be indicated by an international vehicle registration code, also called Vehicle Registration Identification code or VRI code, formerly known as an International Registration Letter or International Circulation Mark. It is referred to as the Distinguishing sign of the State of registration in the Geneva Convention on Road Traffic of 1949 and the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic of 1968.
A stop sign is a traffic sign designed to notify drivers that they must come to a complete stop and make sure the intersection is safely clear of vehicles and pedestrians before continuing past the sign. In many countries, the sign is a red octagon with the word STOP, in either English, the national language of that particular country, or both, displayed in white or yellow. The Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals also allows an alternative version: a red circle with a red inverted triangle with either a white or yellow background, and a black or dark blue STOP. Some countries may also use other types, such as Japan's inverted red triangle stop sign. Particular regulations regarding appearance, installation, and compliance with the signs vary by some jurisdictions.
Roadworks, also called road construction or road work, occur when part of the road, or in rare cases, the entire road, has to be occupied for work relating to the road, most often in the case of road surface repairs. In the United States road work could also mean any work conducted in close proximity of travel way (thoroughfare) such as utility work or work on power lines. The general term of road work is known as work zone.
The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways is a document issued by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) of the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) to specify the standards by which traffic signs, road surface markings, and signals are designed, installed, and used. In the United States, all traffic control devices must legally conform to these standards. The manual is used by state and local agencies as well as private construction firms to ensure that the traffic control devices they use conform to the national standard. While some state agencies have developed their own sets of standards, including their own MUTCDs, these must substantially conform to the federal MUTCD.
The Convention on Road Traffic, commonly known as the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic, is an international treaty designed to facilitate international road traffic and to increase road safety by establishing standard traffic rules among the contracting parties. The convention was agreed upon at the United Nations Economic and Social Council's Conference on Road Traffic and concluded in Vienna on 8 November 1968. This conference also produced the Convention on Road Signs and Signals. The convention had amendments on 3 September 1993 and 28 March 2006. There is a European Agreement supplementing the Convention on Road Traffic (1968), which was concluded in Geneva on 1 May 1971.
A reassurance marker or confirming marker is a type of traffic sign that confirms the identity of the route being traveled on. It does not provide information found on other types of road signs, such as distances traveled, distances to other locations or upcoming intersections, as is done by highway location markers.
A regulatory sign is used to indicate or reinforce traffic laws, regulations or requirements which apply either at all times or at specified times or places upon a street or highway, the disregard of which may constitute a violation, or a sign in general that regulates public behavior in places open to the public. The FHWA defines regulatory sign as "a sign that gives notice to road users of traffic laws or regulations".
An International Driving Permit (IDP), often referred to as an international driving license, is a translation of a domestic driving license that allows the holder to drive a private motor vehicle in any country or jurisdiction that recognises the document. The term International Driving Permit was first mentioned in the document prescribed in the International Convention relative to Motor Traffic that was signed at Paris in 1926, and is a translation of the French 'permis de conduire international', or 'international driving license'. The Paris treaty, and all subsequent, use the word 'permit' exclusively in relation to all kinds of driving license.
For driving in the United States, each state and territory has its own traffic code or rules of the road, although most of the rules of the road are similar for the purpose of uniformity, given that all states grant reciprocal driving privileges to each other's licensed drivers. There is also a "Uniform Vehicle Code" which was proposed by a private, non-profit group, based upon input by its members. The UVC was not adopted in its entirety by any state. As with uniform acts in general, some states adopted selected sections as written or with modifications, while others created their own sui generis statutes touching upon the same subject matter. As required by the federal Highway Safety Act of 1966, all states and territories have adopted substantially similar standards for the vast majority of signs, signals, and road surface markings, based upon the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices from the U.S. Department of Transportation. Many of the standard rules of the road involve consistent interpretation of the standard signs, signals, and markings such as what to do when approaching a stop sign, or the driving requirements imposed by a double yellow line on the street or highway. In order to implement their own traffic laws on the property of their own facilities, several federal agencies have also developed their own traffic laws.
In traffic engineering, there are regional and national variations in traffic light operation. This may be in the standard traffic light sequence or by the use of special signals.
Mandatory signs are road signs that are used to set the obligations of all traffic that uses a specific area of road. Most mandatory road signs are circular, and may use white symbols on a blue background with a white border, or black symbols on a white background with a red border, although the latter is also associated with prohibitory signs.
The Convention on Road Traffic, commonly known as the Geneva Convention on Road Traffic, is an international treaty promoting the development and safety of international road traffic by establishing certain uniform rules among the contracting parties. The convention addresses minimum mechanical and safety equipment needed to be on board and defines an identification mark to identify the origin of the vehicle. The Convention was prepared and opened for signature by the United Nations Conference on Road and Motor Transport held at Geneva from 23 August to 19 September 1949. It came into force on 26 March 1952. This conference also produced the Protocol on Road Signs and Signals.
Like many South American countries, the road signs in Brazil are strongly based on the US MUTCD standard, but with text in Portuguese. The regulatory, prohibitory and mandatory signs are all of them white circular with red borders, with the exception of the stop and the yield sign. The warning signs are yellow diamonds. Units are expressed in compliance with the International System of Units.
Road signs in Chile are regulated in the Manual de Señalización de Tránsito, which is based on both the United States' MUTCD and the Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals, to which Chile is a signatory. Therefore, road signs are compliant with international standards. Chile uses yellow diamonds for warning signs in common with most of the rest of the Americas. Speed limit signs are a red circle with a white background and the limitation in black, and are in kilometres per hour. There are also some signs unique to Chile. Chile also currently uses a mixture of both types of mandatory signs: European-style signs with white symbols on a blue background and a white border, and signs with black symbols on a white background and a red border.
Road signs used by countries in the Americas are significantly influenced by the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), first released in 1935, reflecting the influence of the United States throughout the region. Other non-American countries using road signs similar to the MUTCD include Australia, Indonesia, Ireland, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, and Thailand. They, along with the US Virgin Islands, are also the only countries listed here which drive on the left—with the exception of Liberia and the Philippines, both of which drive on the right.
This is a comparison of road signs in countries and regions that speak majorly English, including major ones where it is an official language and widely understood.
Road signs in the Philippines are regulated and standardized by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). Most of the signs reflect minor influences from American and Australian signs but keep a design closer to the Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals, to which the Philippines is an original signatory. The Philippines signed the convention on November 8, 1968, and ratified it on December 27, 1973.
This article is a summary of traffic signs used in each country.
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