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Comparison of MUTCD-influenced traffic signs

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Map showing world adoption of the MUTCD[citation needed]
  Adopted national MUTCD
  Adopted national MUTCD with state supplement
  Adopted state-specific MUTCD
  Adopted a country-specific equivalent to the MUTCD
  Adopted a mixture of the Vienna Convention and MUTCD

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.[1] 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 (though partial), both of which drive on the right.

There are also a number of American signatories to the Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Ecuador, French Guiana, Paraguay, and Suriname. Of those, only Chile, Cuba, and French Guiana have ratified the treaty.

Mandatory action signs in the Americas tend to be influenced by both systems. Nearly all countries in the Americas use yellow diamond warning signs. Recognizing the differences in standards across Europe and the Americas, the Vienna convention considers these types of signs an acceptable alternative to the triangular warning sign.[2] However, UN compliant signs must make use of more pictograms in contrast to more text based US variants. Indeed, most American nations make use of more symbols than allowed in the US MUTCD.

Unlike in Europe, considerable variation within road sign designs can exist within nations, especially in multilingual areas.

Trilingual stop sign in Mistissini, Quebec, Canada. Languages are Cree, English, and French.

Differences between MUTCD-influenced traffic signs

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The main differences between traffic signs influenced by the MUTCD relate to:

  • Graphic design and symbological details
  • The use of square-bordered or circular regulatory signs
  • Local languages (signs may be bilingual or trilingual)
    • Most notable is the text on stop signs. Unlike in Europe, the text on stop signs in the Americas varies depending on language, and may be multilingual.

Languages

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Below is a table of the main languages used. (In non-English speaking countries, English is frequently included on signs near airports and tourist areas.)

  República Argentina Commonwealth of Australia República Federativa do Brasil Brunei Darussalam ព្រះរាជាណាចក្រកម្ពុជា Canada       Canada República de Chile 中华人民共和国 República de Colombia República del Ecuador Republik Indonesia Republic of Ireland Jamaica 日本国 Republic of Liberia Malaysia Estados Unidos Mexicanos New Zealand República de Panamá República del Perú Republic of the Philippines Republic of Singapore 대한민국 中華民國 ราชอาณาจักรไทย United States of America República Oriental del Uruguay Cộng hòa Xã hội chủ nghĩa Việt Nam
Argentina Australia Brazil Brunei Cambodia Anglophone Canada Québec
Quebec 		Chile China Colombia Ecuador Indonesia Ireland Jamaica Japan Liberia Malaysia Mexico New Zealand Panama Peru Philippines Singapore South Korea Taiwan Thailand United States Uruguay Vietnam
Drives on the… Right Left Right Left Right Left Right Left Right Left Right Left Right Left Right
Primary language Spanish English Portuguese Brunei Malay Khmer English French Spanish Chinese Spanish Spanish Indonesian Irish and
English[3] 		English Japanese English Malay Spanish English Spanish English English, Malay, Tamil and Chinese Korean Chinese Thai English Spanish Vietnamese
Secondary language(s)
  • English
  • Indigenous languages
    On Indian reserves and some majority-Native-inhabited lands.
  • English
    Rare; used in Anglophone regions e.g. Montreal West and Nunavik.
  • English
  • Indigenous languages
    Rare; used on guide signs around popular tourist areas.
  • English
    On guide signs around popular tourist areas.
  • English
    Especially on guide signs.
  • English
  • English
  • English
  • Indigenous languages On some native reservations.
  • Spanish
    In Puerto Rico.
Typical typeface(s) FHWA (modified) FHWA Clearview, formerly FHWA DIN 1451 (modified) Helvetica (English) Clearview, FHWA
(varies by province) 		FHWA, Clearview (different fonts specified for different signs) Ruta CL,
formerly FHWA 		FHWA,
Helvetica (English) 		FHWA (modified) FHWA (modified) Clearview, formerly FHWA Transport FHWA Hiragino (Japanese) & Vialog (English),
formerly Helvetica (English) 		Clearview, formerly FHWA LLM (for expressways) & Transport (for federal & state highways),
formerly FHWA 		Tipografía México,
formerly FHWA 		FHWA Helvetica FHWA (modified) Clearview,
formerly FHWA (still used on expressway sections) 		DIN 1451 (modified) Panno, formerly Helvetica (English) FHWA, Arial (English) FHWA (English) FHWA, Clearview
(varies by state) 		Helvetica DIN 1451 (modified)

Differences in units

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Road sign used in British Columbia, Canada, near the Canada–US border to remind US drivers that Canada uses the metric system.
Metric signage reminder in Quebec, Canada often found after ports of entry from the US.
Sign at the Republic of Ireland–United Kingdom border indicating that limits in the Republic are shown in km/h.
Blue metric conversion reminder sign used in Ontario, Canada near the US border.
  • All countries, with the exception of the United States and the United Kingdom, use the metric system. Some countries mark this fact by using units on various signs.
    • Brazil, Indonesia, Ireland, Mexico, Panama, Peru, and parts of Canada (British Columbia, parts of Ontario, and Yukon) list units (km/h) on their maximum speed limit.
    • In Canada and Ireland, this is a reflection of a (somewhat) recent transition from imperial to metric, which first took effect in Canada, starting on 1 April 1971, but its speed limit conversion didn't take full effect until September 1977.[6] Meanwhile, in Ireland, its recent speed limit transition from miles per hour to kilometres per hour didn't take effect until 20 January 2005, although distance road signs had already been labelled in metric since the 1970s.[7]
    • The US territory of Puerto Rico uses a mix – speed limits are in mph but distance signs are marked in km.
    • Advisory speed limit signs in most countries list units, although New Zealand does not. The US lists units in mph.
    • Height, weight, and width restrictions are almost always accompanied by units (tonnes or metres); in the US, the short ton is used with no distinction from metric tonnes.
    • Signs in some parts of Canada and Mexico near the US border often include both metric and Imperial units, to remind US drivers that they are entering metric countries. In Canada, these signs display the imperial speed limit using a Canadian-style sign, rather than an MUTCD-standard used in the US.[8] No such equivalent exists in the US.[citation needed]
  • The US was, at one time, planning a transition to the metric system. The Metric Conversion Act of 1975 started the process, but it was halted in 1982. The MUTCD has guidelines for posting metric versions of speed limit signs on roads.
  • The SI standard unit of speed, meter per second, is not used on road signs anywhere in the world. All countries that use the metric system measure speeds in kilometers per hour.

Color differences

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Warning signs

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Countries in yellow use MUTCD-style diamond warning signs. See image description page for large image and legend.
  • Nearly all MUTCD-influenced warning signs are diamond-shaped and yellow; some warning signs may be fluorescent yellow-green to draw extra attention. There are a few exceptions to this:
    • Pentagonal signs are used in school zones in the United States, Liberia, Mexico, Malaysia and many areas in Canada. In Japan and the Philippines, pentagonal signs are permanently used for pedestrian crossings.
    • Argentina employs European-style red-bordered triangular warning signs in certain instances where extra attention is required. The Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam uses this style for most warning signs, though some highways like the Subic–Clark–Tarlac Expressway and the Manila–Cavite Expressway use MUTCD-style yellow diamond-shaped warning signs.
  • Warning signs may be text-only.

Road works and construction

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  • Most countries use orange diamond-shaped signs for construction zones. Australia, Cambodia, the Philippines, and sometimes Canada instead use rectangular signs that fit into temporary casings. Warnings for construction zones, however, are not marked at all in Japan and are always yellow.
  • In the USA, Canada, Australia, Thailand, Taiwan, and the Philippines the temporary Road Closed sign is instead always a rectangular sign that can either be used as a standalone or fit into a temporary casing.

Regulatory signs

[edit]
  • Prohibitory and restrictive signs are classified as regulatory signs, as per the MUTCD.
  • Almost all prohibitory signs use a red circle with a slash. Restrictive signs typically use a red circle, as in Europe. Some may be seated on a rectangular white background.
    • The original MUTCD prohibitory and restrictive signs were text-only (i.e. NO LEFT TURN).[9] Some of these signs continue to be used in the US.
  • The No Entry / Do Not Enter sign may or may not feature text. In some Latin American countries, an upwards-pointing arrow contained within a slashed red circle is used instead. Some countries have those two signs separated.
    • The Latin American-style 'do not proceed straight' sign may take a different meaning in countries with standard No Entry / Do Not Enter signs. Typically, it indicates an intersection where traffic cannot continue straight ahead (often involving a one-way street to be exact), but where cross-traffic may enter the street from the right (or left). Thus, it is distinguished from a No Entry / Do Not Enter (for all vehicles) sign.
Mandatory or permitted-action signs
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Various color schemes for mandatory signs. See image description page for large image and legend.
  • The design of mandatory signs varies widely, since the MUTCD does not specify their use.[1] Rather, the MUTCD's equivalent are classified as regulatory signs.
    • Some countries use simple arrows with the text "ONLY" or its equivalent underneath. This is the MUTCD standard.
    • Some countries use European-style white-on-blue circular signs. These are "Type A Mandatory Signs" as prescribed by the Vienna Convention.
    • Some Latin American countries (and formerly Thailand) use red-bordered circular signs, in the same style as regulatory signs. These are "Type B Mandatory Signs" as prescribed by the Vienna Convention. In cases relating to particular types of vehicle traffic (e.g. buses), these signs are identical to some European prohibitory signs.[a]
    • Canada uses a unique style of mandatory sign that features a green circle.

Highway and wayfinding signs

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  • Most countries use white-on-green signs on highways and to indicate location, etc.
    • The exact style of these signs varies widely, although many are influenced by the MUTCD standard.
    • Chile, Ireland, Japan, and New Zealand use both white-on-green and white-on-blue guide signs, as does the Northwest Territories and Ontario in Canada. Parts of Australia use yellow-on-blue guide signs for certain road classes.
    • Malaysia uses both black-on-yellow and white-on-green guide signs.
    • White-on-blue signs are sometimes used at airports and for rest areas.
    • White-on-brown signs are sometimes used to indicate park areas.
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Table of traffic signs comparison

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Warning

[edit]
  República Argentina
Argentina
  		Commonwealth of Australia
Australia
  		República Federativa do Brasil
Brazil
  		Brunei Darussalam
Brunei
  		ព្រះរាជាណាចក្រកម្ពុជា
Cambodia
  		Canada
Canada
  		British Columbia
Canada -
British Columbia 		Ontario
Canada -
Ontario 		Québec
Canada -
Quebec 		República de Chile
Chile
  		中华人民共和国
China
  		República de Colombia
Colombia
  		República de Colombia
Ecuador
  		Republik Indonesia
Indonesia
  		Republic of Ireland
Ireland
  		Jamaica
Jamaica
  		日本国
Japan
  		Republic of Liberia
Liberia
  		Malaysia
Malaysia
  		Estados Unidos Mexicanos
Mexico
  		New Zealand
New Zealand
  		República de Panamá
Panama
  		República del Perú
Peru
  		Republic of the Philippines
Philippines
  		Republic of Singapore
Singapore
  		대한민국
South Korea
  		中華民國
Taiwan
  		ราชอาณาจักรไทย
Thailand
  		United States of America
United States
  		República Oriental del Uruguay
Uruguay
  		Cộng hòa Xã hội chủ nghĩa Việt Nam
Vietnam
 
Stop sign ahead ? ? ?
Not used ? ? ? ?
Yield / Give Way sign ahead Not used ? ? ?
Not used ? ? ? ?
Traffic signals ahead
Roundabout ahead
[b]
Two-way traffic ahead
Uncontrolled railroad crossing ahead Not used Not used
Level railroad crossing with barriers ahead
[c] 		Not used
[c]
[c]
[c]
[c]
or
[c]
[c]
[c]
or
 Not used
[c]
Tram / streetcar crossing N/A
[d] 		N/A
[d] 		Not used Not used Not used N/A
[d] 		N/A
[d] 		Not used N/A
[d]
[e] 		Not used N/A
[d] 		N/A
[d] 		Not used N/A
[d] 		Not used N/A
[d] 		N/A
[d] 		N/A
[d] 		Not used
[f]
Railroad crossbuck
or
 Not used Not used Not used
or
or
 Not used
Level crossing (multiple tracks)
or
 Not used



? Not used ? Not used Not used Not used
or
 Not used Not used Not used ? ? Not used
Argentina Australia Brazil Brunei Cambodia Canada Canada
(British Columbia) 		Canada
(Ontario) 		Canada
(Quebec) 		Chile China Colombia Ecuador Indonesia Ireland Jamaica Japan Liberia Malaysia Mexico New Zealand Panama Peru Philippines Singapore South Korea Taiwan Thailand United States Uruguay Vietnam
Crossroads ahead
Junction with a side road ahead
Traffic merges ahead ?
or
 ?
Staggered crossroads ahead ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
Added lane ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Not used Not used[g] ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
Divided highway ahead ? ? Not used ? ?
Divided highway ends ? ? Not used ? ?
Lane ends ahead
Road narrows ahead
or
Narrow bridge ahead ? Not used Not used ?
Dangerous crosswinds ? ? ? Not used ? ?
[h]
Low-flying aircraft ? ? ? Not used ? ?
Steep hill downwards
and
Steep hill upwards Not used
[i] 		Not used Not used
and
Argentina Australia Brazil Brunei Cambodia Canada Canada
(British Columbia) 		Canada
(Ontario) 		Canada
(Quebec) 		Chile China Colombia Ecuador Indonesia Ireland Jamaica Japan Liberia Malaysia Mexico New Zealand Panama Peru Philippines Singapore South Korea Taiwan Thailand United States Uruguay Vietnam
Uneven surface
Bump in road
or

[10]
Dip in road ? ? ?
[j] 		Not used Not used ? ? ? ? ?
Ford ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
or
 ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
Snow / ice ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
or
[k] 		? ?
Fog ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
? ? Not used ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
Slippery road surface
Loose road surface
[l] 		?
or

[l]
[l] 		Not used
[l] 		?
[l] 		Not used Not used ? ? Not used ?
Dangerous shoulder ? ? ? ?
[l]
[l]
[l] 		? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
Pavement ends ? ? ? ? ? ? Not used ? Not used ? Not used ? ? ? ? ? ?
Gentle curve ahead ? ?
Sharp curve ahead ? ? ? ? ?
Double gentle curve ahead ? ? ? ? Not used ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
Double sharp curve ahead
Series of curves ahead ? ? ? ? ?
Hairpin curve ahead ? Not used Not used Not used ? ? Not used
[m] 		? Not used ? Not used ? ? ? ? ?
Loop curve ahead ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
Chevron (short turn) ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
Chevron (sharp turn) ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
Argentina Australia Brazil Brunei Cambodia Canada Canada
(British Columbia) 		Canada
(Ontario) 		Canada
(Quebec) 		Chile China Colombia Ecuador Indonesia Ireland Jamaica Japan Liberia Malaysia Mexico New Zealand Panama Peru Philippines Singapore South Korea Taiwan Thailand United States Uruguay Vietnam
School zone
Children / playground ahead
or
or
or
or
Pedestrian crossing ahead

or
 Not used
or
Pedestrian crossing
or
or
[13] or
[14] 		?
Not used ?
Disabled / elderly pedestrian crossing ? ? ? ? ?
or
 ? ? ? Not used ? ? ?
or

or
 ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
Cyclists crossing ?
or
 ? ? ?
Falling rocks or debris ?
or

[k]
Argentina Australia Brazil Brunei Cambodia Canada Canada
(British Columbia) 		Canada
(Ontario) 		Canada
(Quebec) 		Chile China Colombia Ecuador Indonesia Ireland Jamaica Japan Liberia Malaysia Mexico New Zealand Panama Peru Philippines Singapore South Korea Taiwan Thailand United States Uruguay Vietnam
Opening or swing bridge ? Not used ? ? ? ? Not used ? ? ? ? ?
Quay or riverbank ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Not used ?
or
Emergency vehicles Not used ? Not used ? ? ? Not used ? Not used Not used Not used Not used Not used ? ? ? Not used ? ?
Farm vehicles ? Not used
or
 ? ? ? Not used Not used ? Not used ? ? ? Not used
or
 ?
Domesticated animals Not used ? ?
Wild animals ? ? ? Not used ? ?
Equestrians Not used ? Not used ? ? ? ? ? ? Not used ? ? ? ? Not used ? ? ? Not used ?
Tunnel ahead ? Not used Not used ? Not used Not used ? ? ? ?
Height restriction ahead Not used ? ? Not used ? Not used ? ? ? ?
Width restriction ahead Not used ? Not used Not used Not used
[l] 		? ? Not used ? Not used Not used ? ? ? Not used ?
Length restriction ahead ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Not used ? ?
Weight restriction ahead ? Not used ? Not used Not used ? ? ? Not used ? Not used ? Not used ? ? ? ? ? Not used ? ?
Roadworks
[l] 		?
or
 Not used
Flagman ahead
[l] 		? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
Traffic congestion ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Not used Not used ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
Other danger ? ? Not used Not used Not used Not used ? Not used ? ? Not used ?
Argentina Australia Brazil Brunei Cambodia Canada Canada
(British Columbia) 		Canada
(Ontario) 		Canada
(Quebec) 		Chile China Colombia Ecuador Indonesia Ireland Jamaica Japan Liberia Malaysia Mexico New Zealand Panama Peru Philippines Singapore South Korea Taiwan Thailand United States Uruguay Vietnam

Regulatory

[edit]
  República Argentina
Argentina
  		Commonwealth of Australia
Australia
  		República Federativa do Brasil
Brazil
  		Brunei Darussalam
Brunei
  		ព្រះរាជាណាចក្រកម្ពុជា
Cambodia
  		Canada
Canada
  		Canada
Canada -
British Columbia 		Ontario
Canada -
Ontario 		Québec
Canada -
Quebec 		República de Chile
Chile
  		中华人民共和国
China
  		República de Colombia
Colombia
  		República de Colombia
Ecuador
  		Republik Indonesia
Indonesia
  		Republic of Ireland
Ireland
  		Jamaica
Jamaica
  		日本国
Japan
  		Republic of Liberia
Liberia
  		Malaysia
Malaysia
  		Estados Unidos Mexicanos
Mexico
  		New Zealand
New Zealand
  		República de Panamá
Panama
  		República del Perú
Peru
  		Republic of the Philippines
Philippines
  		Republic of Singapore
Singapore
  		대한민국
South Korea
  		中華民國
Taiwan
  		ราชอาณาจักรไทย
Thailand
  		United States of America
United States
  		República Oriental del Uruguay
Uruguay
  		Cộng hòa Xã hội chủ nghĩa Việt Nam
Vietnam
 
Stop
or
 Varies by Province
Yield / Give Way
or
 Not used
Yield to oncoming traffic
? ? ? Not used ? Not used ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
Priority over oncoming traffic ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Not used ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
Priority road ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Not used ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
End of priority road ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Not used ?
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
No entry
or
or
or
or
[15]
or
or
Road closed ?
or
 ? ?
[l]
[l] 		? ?
[l] 		? ? ? ? ?
Argentina Australia Brazil Brunei Cambodia Canada Canada
(British Columbia) 		Canada
(Ontario) 		Canada
(Quebec) 		Chile China Colombia Ecuador Indonesia Ireland Jamaica Japan Liberia Malaysia Mexico New Zealand Panama Peru Philippines Singapore South Korea Taiwan Thailand United States Uruguay Vietnam
No motor vehicles ? ? ? Not used ? ? ?
No motorcycles ? Not used ? Not used
No mopeds ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Not used ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
No bicycles
No pedestrians ? ? ?
or
No heavy goods vehicles
Argentina Australia Brazil Brunei Cambodia Canada Canada
(British Columbia) 		Canada
(Ontario) 		Canada
(Quebec) 		Chile China Colombia Ecuador Indonesia Ireland Jamaica Japan Liberia Malaysia Mexico New Zealand Panama Peru Philippines Singapore South Korea Taiwan Thailand United States Uruguay Vietnam
No buses ? ? ? ? Not used ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
No trailers ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Not used
or
 ?
or
 ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
or
No farm vehicles ? ? ? ? ? Not used Not used ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
No animal-drawn vehicles ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Not used ?
No vehicles carrying dangerous goods ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Not used ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
No vehicles carrying explosives or inflammables ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
No vehicles carrying water pollutants ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Not used ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
No handcarts ? ? ? ? ? ? Not used Not used ? ? ? ? ? ? Not used ? ? ?
Argentina Australia Brazil Brunei Cambodia Canada Canada
(British Columbia) 		Canada
(Ontario) 		Canada
(Quebec) 		Chile China Colombia Ecuador Indonesia Ireland Jamaica Japan Liberia Malaysia Mexico New Zealand Panama Peru Philippines Singapore South Korea Taiwan Thailand United States Uruguay Vietnam
Maximum speed limit Varies by Province
or

[n]
Minimum speed limit Not used Not used
[o] 		? Not used Not used ? Not used ? ? Not used ? Not used ? ? ? ?
Speed restriction ends Not used ? Not used Not used Not used Not used Not used Not used Not used ?
or
 ? Not used ? ? ? ? ? ?
Maximum height
Maximum width Not used Not used Not used Not used Not used Not used
Maximum length ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
or
Maximum weight ?
Maximum weight per axle ? ? Not used Not used ? ? ? ? ?
Argentina Australia Brazil Brunei Cambodia Canada Canada
(British Columbia) 		Canada
(Ontario) 		Canada
(Quebec) 		Chile China Colombia Ecuador Indonesia Ireland Jamaica Japan Liberia Malaysia Mexico New Zealand Panama Peru Philippines Singapore South Korea Taiwan Thailand United States Uruguay Vietnam
No left turn
or
 Not used
[p]
or
No right turn
or
 Not used
[p]
or
No U-turn
or
[26]
or
 ?
No parking
No stopping
Restricted parking zone ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
No overtaking
[q] 		? ?
and

[r]
and

[r]
and

[r]
and

[r]
Minimum following distance between vehicles ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

or
 ? ? Not used ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
No honking ? ? ? ? ? Not used ? ? Not used ? Not used
Argentina Australia Brazil Brunei Cambodia Canada Canada
(British Columbia) 		Canada
(Ontario) 		Canada
(Quebec) 		Chile China Colombia Ecuador Indonesia Ireland Jamaica Japan Liberia Malaysia Mexico New Zealand Panama Peru Philippines Singapore South Korea Taiwan Thailand United States Uruguay Vietnam

Mandatory or permitted actions

[edit]
  República Argentina
Argentina
  		Commonwealth of Australia
Australia
  		República Federativa do Brasil
Brazil
  		Brunei Darussalam
Brunei
  		ព្រះរាជាណាចក្រកម្ពុជា
Cambodia
  		Canada
Canada
  		Ontario
Canada -
British Columbia 		Ontario
Canada -
Ontario 		Québec
Canada -
Quebec 		República de Chile
Chile
  		中华人民共和国
China
  		República de Colombia
Colombia
  		República de Colombia
Ecuador
  		Republik Indonesia
Indonesia
  		Republic of Ireland
Ireland
  		Jamaica
Jamaica
  		日本国
Japan
  		Republic of Liberia
Liberia
  		Malaysia
Malaysia
  		Estados Unidos Mexicanos
Mexico
  		New Zealand
New Zealand
  		República de Panamá
Panama
  		República del Perú
Peru
  		Republic of the Philippines
Philippines
  		Republic of Singapore
Singapore
  		대한민국
South Korea
  		中華民國
Taiwan
  		ราชอาณาจักรไทย
Thailand
  		United States of America
United States
  		República Oriental del Uruguay
Uruguay
  		Cộng hòa Xã hội chủ nghĩa Việt Nam
Vietnam
 
Proceed
straight
(no turns) 		Not used
[s] 		Not used
Turn right Not used Not used
[s] 		? ? ? ? Not used Not used ?
Turn right
ahead 		Not used Not used
[s] 		Not used ?
Proceed
straight
or turn right 		Not used ? Not used Not used
[s] 		Not used Not used Not used Not used Not used Not used Not used ? Not used Not used Not used
Seatbelts required ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Not used ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
Living street ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
Keep right
(or left)
or
or
 Not used
or
Pass on
either side 		Not used Not used ?
or
 ?
or
or
or

[t]
or
Route for heavy goods vehicles and vehicles carrying dangerous goods ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Not used ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
Roundabout Not used ?
[u] 		Not used ?
or
Overtaking
permitted
[q] 		?
? Not used

or
 ? ? ? Not used ? ? ? ?
Shared use path ?
or
 ? ? ? ? ? Not used ? ? ?
Bicycles only ? ?
Transit only ? ? Not used ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
Equestrians only ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Not used ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
Argentina Australia Brazil Brunei Cambodia Canada Canada
(British Columbia) 		Canada
(Ontario) 		Canada
(Quebec) 		Chile China Colombia Ecuador Indonesia Ireland Jamaica Japan Liberia Malaysia Mexico New Zealand Panama Peru Philippines Singapore South Korea Taiwan Thailand United States Uruguay Vietnam

Other (indication)

[edit]
  República Argentina
Argentina
  		Commonwealth of Australia
Australia
  		República Federativa do Brasil
Brazil
  		Brunei Darussalam
Brunei
  		ព្រះរាជាណាចក្រកម្ពុជា
Cambodia
  		Canada
Canada
  		Ontario
Canada -
British Columbia 		Ontario
Canada -
Ontario 		Québec
Canada -
Quebec 		República de Chile
Chile
  		中华人民共和国
China
  		República de Colombia
Colombia
  		República de Colombia
Ecuador
  		Republik Indonesia
Indonesia
  		Republic of Ireland
Ireland
  		Jamaica
Jamaica
  		日本国
Japan
  		Republic of Liberia
Liberia
  		Malaysia
Malaysia
  		Estados Unidos Mexicanos
Mexico
  		New Zealand
New Zealand
  		República de Panamá
Panama
  		República del Perú
Peru
  		Republic of the Philippines
Philippines
  		Republic of Singapore
Singapore
  		대한민국
South Korea
  		中華民國
Taiwan
  		ราชอาณาจักรไทย
Thailand
  		United States of America
United States
  		República Oriental del Uruguay
Uruguay
  		Cộng hòa Xã hội chủ nghĩa Việt Nam
Vietnam
 
One-way
street
or
or
or
or
Two-way
traffic 		? ? ? Not used Not used ? Not used Not used ? ? ? Not used
[l] 		?
Freeway begins
or

or
 Not used Not used Not used Not used ? ? ? Not used ?
or
 ? ? ?
Freeway ends
or

or
 Not used ? ? ? ? ? ? Not used ?
or
 ? ? ?
Dead end
or
or
or
 ? ? Not used ? ? ?
or
 ?
Parking zone
or
or
or
or
or
or
or

[v] 		?
or
or
or
 ?
or
or
Parking garage ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Not used ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
Taxi stand ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
or
 ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
Bus stop ? ? ? Varies by Province
or

or
or
 ? ?
or
 ? ? ?
or
Train station ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
Airport ? ? ? ? Not used ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
Hospital ? ?
or
 ? ? Not used ? ? ?
Electric vehicle
charging station 		? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
or

[v] 		? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
Customs
post 		[w] ? Not used Not used

[x] 		N/A
[y] 		N/A
[y] 		? N/A
[y] 		? ? Not used
National
highway
shield(s)
?
(National Hwy across Canada)
(Provincial Hwy)

(Provincial Hwy)

(Toll Hwy)


(Regional Route)
(Provincial Hwy)

(Regional Route)




?


?





(National highway)

(Tolled motorway)

(Free motorway)

Argentina Australia Brazil Brunei Cambodia Canada Canada
(British Columbia) 		Canada
(Ontario) 		Canada
(Quebec) 		Chile China Colombia Ecuador Indonesia Ireland Jamaica Japan Liberia Malaysia Mexico New Zealand Panama Peru Philippines Singapore South Korea Taiwan Thailand United States Uruguay Vietnam

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Compare Bicycles Only (Ciclovia) sign in Brazil, Colombia, Jamaica, Uruguay: with No Bicycles sign in Continental Europe:
  2. ^ In the US, "roundabout" and "traffic circle" are used interchangeably, along with "rotary". See Roundabout terminology.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i No distinction between controlled and uncontrolled railroad crossings is made.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k There are no operating tram or streetcar systems in this jurisdiction.
  5. ^ Only used in the Cuenca Tramway, see this photo. The design of a tram road sign is the same as in Spain.
  6. ^ Used in California only. Shared grade tram or streetcar crossings are typically unsigned in other jurisdictions.
  7. ^ Similar signs exist as indication signs (signs F-300 – F-308).
  8. ^ Text varies.
  9. ^ Not in use for road vehicles.
  10. ^ Off-road tracks only.
  11. ^ a b Used only in California.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Temporary use only.
  13. ^ Unofficial versions exist.[11][12]
  14. ^ Some speed limit signs are explicitly labeled in miles per hour,[16] but most are either explicitly[17][18][19][20] or implicitly measured in kilometers per hour.[21][22] Some signs use the MUTCD's metric speed limit design.[23][24][25]
  15. ^ By law the Minimum Speed for a given road is half of Maximum Speed set for thia same road
  16. ^ a b Japan indicates movement restrictions by means of mandatory signs only:
  17. ^ a b In many jurisdictions, "Overtaking Permitted" is indicated solely through a change in road markings, e.g. a solid center line changing to a dashed center line. In such jurisdictions, signs in this category are only posted in locations where a change in road markings is deemed insufficient notice for drivers. This is in contrast to "No Overtaking" signs, which are almost always posted alongside changes in road markings to indicate the end of an overtaking zone.
  18. ^ a b c d Pennant signs are placed facing traffic in the passing lane, i.e. on the left side of the road for right-hand driving countries. They are used in conjunction with standard-shaped signs placed facing traffic in the travel lane, i.e. on the right side of the road.
  19. ^ a b c d Ontario indicates movement restrictions by means of prohibitory signs only:
  20. ^ Used only in New York.
  21. ^ Mini-roundabouts only.
  22. ^ a b The circular sign is used to indicate on-street parking, while the square-shaped sign indicates off-street parking.
  23. ^ Australia has no land borders. The sign is used when interstate borders are closed (e.g. during COVID-19 restrictions).
  24. ^ For ferry terminals and ports only.
  25. ^ a b c This country has no land borders.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, 2009 Edition
  2. ^ "Part I: Convention on Road Signs and Signals – Annex 3" (PDF). United Nations. p. 83.
  3. ^ Ireland Department of Transport, Tourism, and Sport – Traffic Signs Manual, Chapter 1
  4. ^ "Ontario Ministry of Transportation – Bilingual Signing Policy". Archived from the original on 2014-06-02. Retrieved 2014-04-17.
  5. ^ New Zealand Ministry of Transport – Manual of Traffic Signs and Markings, Sec. 7.7
  6. ^ "Metric usage and metrication in other countries". U.S. Metric Association. Archived from the original on July 24, 2010.
  7. ^ Road Traffic (Speed Limit - Traffic Signs) Regulations 2005 (S.I. No. 10 of 2005). Signed on 12 January 2005 by Martin Cullen. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 24 April 2022.
  8. ^ British Columbia Manual of Standard Traffic Signs & Pavement Markings
  9. ^ MUTCD History
  10. ^ "Image by draperc". Mapillary. August 18, 2018. Retrieved April 21, 2019.
  11. ^ "N72 - Google Maps". Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  12. ^ "R676 - Google Maps". Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  13. ^ "Image by mkanyala". Mapillary. September 10, 2017. Retrieved April 21, 2019.
  14. ^ "Image by draperc". Mapillary. February 25, 2019. Retrieved April 21, 2019.
  15. ^ Joseph, Dan B. (April 14, 2016). "Image by danbjoseph". Mapillary. Retrieved April 21, 2019.
  16. ^ "Image by draperc". Mapillary. September 9, 2018. Retrieved April 21, 2019.
  17. ^ "Image by draperc". Mapillary. September 9, 2018. Retrieved April 21, 2019.
  18. ^ "Image by mkanyala". Mapillary. September 11, 2017. Retrieved April 21, 2019.
  19. ^ "Image by mkanyala". Mapillary. September 11, 2017. Retrieved April 21, 2019.
  20. ^ "Image by mkanyala". Mapillary. September 11, 2017. Retrieved April 21, 2019.
  21. ^ Joseph, Dan B. (April 14, 2016). "Image by danbjoseph". Mapillary. Retrieved April 21, 2019.
  22. ^ "Image by mkanyala". Mapillary. September 11, 2017. Retrieved April 21, 2019.
  23. ^ "Image by mkanyala". Mapillary. September 11, 2017. Retrieved April 21, 2019.
  24. ^ "Image by mkanyala". Mapillary. September 11, 2017. Retrieved April 21, 2019.
  25. ^ "Image by kanyala". Mapillary. September 11, 2017. Retrieved April 21, 2019.
  26. ^ "Image by draperc". Mapillary. October 11, 2018. Retrieved April 21, 2019.
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