Mandatory sign
Mandatory signs are
Design
Mandatory signs are a subset of the regulatory sign group as defined by the United Nations Economic and Social Council in the Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals of 1968, and are often seen not just on their own, but used in conjunction with other signs, traffic lights and bollards as a form of visual shorthand within these objects.[1] In Vienna Convention signatories, the mandatory sign is either a light blue circle with a white border (Type A) or a white circle with a red border (Type B). The sign must be at least 60 centimetres (24 in) across on rural roads, or 40 centimetres (16 in) in built-up areas, although mandatory signs incorporated in traffic lights, bollards or larger road signs can be as little as 30 centimetres (12 in) in diameter.
The mandatory sign group is not used in Australia, Ecuador, or the United States,[2] none of which except for Ecuador[3][4] are signatories to the Vienna Convention. Canada has developed its own style using a green circle, which is not used in any other country. Below is a chart comparing some of the most common mandatory signs.
Go straight ahead |
Turn
right |
Permitted directions |
Buses
only |
Trucks
only |
Bicycles
only |
Pedestrians
only |
Segregated pathway |
Seatbelts required |
Snow chains required | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Type A | ||||||||||
Type B | ||||||||||
Canada | N/A [a] | |||||||||
Argentina | N/A |
N/A |
- ^ Canada uses a type of sign other than mandatory for this purpose.
Uses
Segregation of roads
Mandatory road signs can be used to allocate certain areas to specific vehicles – the Vienna Convention explicitly mentions
Instruction
Mandatory signs can also be used to issue instructions to all vehicles – common examples include "pass on this side" signs seen at roadworks, and "compulsory roundabout" signs seen at
References
- ^ a b c d Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals (PDF). United Nations Economic and Social Council. 6 June 1978. pp. 44–46. Retrieved 2007-09-14.
- ^ a b "Regulatory Signs". Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved 2007-09-14.
- ^ "United Nations Treaty Collection". treaties.un.org. Retrieved 2023-11-22.
- ^ "(2/16) Manual de Señalización Vial - Capítulo 1 by Public + - Issuu". issuu.com (in Spanish). 2004-05-31. Retrieved 2023-12-27.