Traffic signs
Traffic signs have been divided into three categories according to Indian motor vehicles Act.
- Regulatory signs
- Warning signs
- Informatory signs
Regulatory signs
Regulatory or Mandatory signs are meant to inform the road users of certain laws, regulations and prohibitions. The violation of these signs is a legal offence.
Warning signs
Warning or Danger or Cautionary signs are used to warn the road users of certain hazardous conditions that exist on or adjacent to the roadway.
Informatory signs
These signs are part of the regulatory signs, which are intended to inform the highway users of traffic laws or regulations.
These signs are used to guide the road users along routes, inform them of destination and distance and provide with information to make travel easier, safe and pleasant.
Traffic signals
- The use of traffic signals for control of conflicting streams of vehicular and pedestrian traffic is extensive in most of the towns and cities.
- At intersection where there are a large number of crossing and right-turn traffic, there is possibility of several accidents as there cannot be orderly movements.
- Traffic signals are control devices which could alternately direct the traffic to stop and proceed at intersections using Red and Green traffic light signals automatically.
- The main requirements of traffic signal are to draw attention, provide meaning and time to respond and to have minimum waste of time.
Road markings
- Road markings are used as a means of a controlling and guiding traffic.
- They are highly important on roads and intersections as they promote road safety and bring about Smooth and harmonious flow of traffic along guided paths of travel.
- Road markings are made of lines, patterns, words, symbols or reflectors on the payment, kerbs, and sides of islands or on the fixed objects within or near the roadway.
Traffic Islands
- Traffic islands are raised areas constructed within the road way to establish physical channels through which the vehicular traffic may be guided.
- Traffic islands often serve more than one function:
1. Island provides self-controlled traffic and there is no need of traffic police to manage the traffic.
2. It reduces conflict points hence chances of collision and accident also reduced.
