Types of Traffic Signs and Road Signs | Future Traffic Signs

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Types Of Traffic Signs

Everyone is familiar with traffic signs. These signs warn us of hazards and give us valuable information on the road. Traffic signs are used to warn and guide drivers and help regulate traffic flow on roads, highways, and other roadways.

Road traffic signs, construction signs, and parking lot signs all have a simple, clear message. Signs should be visible enough to draw attention, and in a way that allows drivers to respond. Road signs and traffic signs should use the same shapes, colors, and symbols to communicate a consistent message.

If you are interested in learning everything about traffic signs, read below.

How Are Road Signs Placed

Municipalities will conduct a thorough road study before traffic signs are installed. This is to determine if they are necessary and practical in a particular area. Signs placed in a haphazard manner and without justification are not something anyone would want to use. This could lead to drivers not respecting traffic signs and could cause traffic incidents rather than prevent them.

So, signs must be approved by the local government. The reason traffic signs are uniform from one municipality to the next is simple. Consider, for instance, a driver traveling across multiple states. The Texas construction signs conform to the same design standards as Colorado’s signs. This makes it easy for drivers to understand the message when they are operating in unfamiliar areas.

Types of traffic signs and road signs

There are different traffic signs and they all serve different purposes.

Guide signs

People often encounter guide signs on the road, but what is a guide sign exactly? Guide signs are typically used to indicate interstate and highway signs as well as destination distance signs, mile markers, and roadway junction signs.

Roadway guide signs provide directions and mileage information for travelers who are unfamiliar with the area. These signs are primarily green with white letters and white borders. They guide road users on streets and highways, inform them about intersecting routes, and direct them to cities, rest stops, and other destinations. 

Regulatory Signs 

The most well-known traffic sign is the big red stop sign.  A stop sign is a regulatory sign and it serves as a traffic law enforcer and provides us with information on what we should or shouldn’t do.

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Another regulatory sign is the yield sign. This sign looks like an inverted triangle and indicates that the vehicle operator should slow down and yield the right-of-way to vehicles and pedestrians approaching from another direction.

Warning Signs

Different shapes and colors are available for traffic signs to make them easier to recognize and differentiate. Because of their distinctive diamond shape, and yellow and black colors, warning signs are easy to identify. Yellow is second to red in visibility and grabs people’s attention almost immediately.

Walking or driving, the yellow and black colors warn you about potential danger or warn you about a possible hazard. Many people have been injured inadvertently because they were distracted by their phones or missed the warning sign.

Additional Traffic Sings That Ensure Safety 

  • Speed limit signs. These signs are large and signify the beginning of a speed limit. It is important to remember that exceeding the speed limit could be dangerous and costly. You should also keep your speed at 30 mph if the speed limit has not been specified.
  • Pedestrian zone signs. These are used to indicate high pedestrian activity, and driving in these areas is generally prohibited. However, restrictions on movement may be only applicable to specific days or times of the day.
  • Tram signs. These are usually easy to spot because of their distinctive color and texture. The most popular tram sign is “Tram Only”, which indicates that other traffic members should not interrupt the movement of the tram.

Future Traffic Signs

Technological advancement enables humanity to improve in every field and sometimes those improvements can even be drastic. On the topic of traffic signs, we don’t expect to see a complete makeover of this system, rather, designers and sign makers will work on expanding on what works and eliminate the other features that proved superficial.

Nowadays, some states implement LED technology to make signs more visible and stand out more. No one knows what the future holds, but we can be sure that the safety on the road will still be governed by the signs we already know.

Final Thoughts

Approximately 1.3 million people die each year. Without traffic signs, life on the road will become chaotic and imaginable. There are different types of signs and each type serves a different purpose.

Dylan Miller

I am a Chicago native and regular contributor to "Locar Deals". I have a master's degree in English, am an automobile content creation specialist, and have written professionally for a variety of automotive companies over the past few years. I write on a variety of vehicles, from high-end luxury cars to ten-year-old gas guzzlers and everything in between. And I love sharing valuable car buying tips with consumers from all walks of life.

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