Road safety is the prevention and protection of road accidents. It requires the usages of all the road safety measures such as road signals, traffic lights, pedestrians, and so on. Though it doesn’t end all accidents that could happen, it can lessen potential danger through a lot of ways.
Three Categories Of Road Signs
- Mandatory Signs – It is a category of road signs that tackle on prescribing people’s behavior on the road. Typically, these signs are used for guidelines and are usually colored blue that indicates what specific action is required to do. These signs usually use white safety symbol on a blue background. Some examples of these are “one way,” “straight ahead,” “turn left,” turn right,” “route for pedal cycles only,” “minimum speed,” “mini round-about,” and so on.
- Regulatory Signs – From the root word regulation, these signs are enforced to maintain traffic laws. Its requirements apply in a specific time and place and are followed by people without questions asked. Usually, the disregard of these signs results in constitutional violation which requires punishment by the law. The examples of regulatory signs are “stop,” “give way,” “no parking,” “speed limits,” “wrong way,” “slow down,” “do not enter,” etc. It’s merely a combination of a red and blue circle, depending on the required prohibition of the area.
- Road Safety Signs – Road safety signs is the public’s most detailed regulation. It is also a combination of regulatory signs and mandatory signs created for roads and highways. Most of the time, it is an instructional type of signs that the government prioritizes. Some examples of road safety signs are “no right/left turn,” “road work,” “do not block the intersection,” “no stopping anytime,” “crossing ahead,” “no loading and unloading,” “deep excavation,” and a lot more. Most of these safety signs are symbols and characters on yellow diamond board.
Aside from the categories of road signs, the most specific signs that people usually see on the road are the ones that maintain not only the driver’s safety but also the public who uses the road. Below is the list of these useful road safety signs.
- Traffic Lights – Traffic lights is one of the most critical factors in attending road safety. It helps in regulating the flow of traffic on the road. It reduces the number of possible car crash incidents by facilitating the movement of each car that passes through different kinds of intersections. Its purpose also aims to avoid road congestion caused by unnecessary vehicle movement on the road.
- Level or Warning Crossing Lights – Along with these traffic lights are the level crossing lights. It regulates a more precise usage of pedestrian lanes and other road signs. With the help of warning lights, people will know the right time to cross the road. Some crossing lights are positioned on visible corner areas so people can easily see it.
- Traffic Signs – Traffic signs are placed beside, along, or above any roads and highways. Like traffic lights, it also aids the regulation of traffic on the road by giving drivers warnings about possible causes of vehicle accidents. Traffic signs maintain safety by providing driving conditions to vehicle owners. Also, it also allows a non-verbal way of communication so drivers can secure maneuvering a vehicle with less direct contact needed.
People don’t need to have a vehicle to follow specific rules on the road. The proper knowledge of traffic and warning signs are enough to provide safety for everyone. They only have to understand each of the sign’s purpose because its primary goal is to educate people and discipline them to follow regulation and prohibition.