Road signs used by countries in the

Americas The Americas, sometimes collectively called America, are a landmass comprising the totality of North America and South America.''Webster's New World College Dictionary'', 2010 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio. When viewed as a sing ...

are significantly influenced by the ''

Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices The ''Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways'' (usually referred to as the ''Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices'', abbreviated MUTCD) is a document issued by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) of the Unit ...

'' (MUTCD), first released in 1935, reflecting the influence of the United States throughout the region. Other non-American countries using road signs similar to the MUTCD include

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania, between the Indian Ocean, Indian and Pacific Ocean, Pacific oceans. Comprising over List of islands of Indonesia, 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, ...

Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

Malaysia Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. Featuring the Tanjung Piai, southernmost point of continental Eurasia, it is a federation, federal constitutional monarchy consisting of States and federal territories of Malaysia, 13 states and thre ...

New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...

, and

Thailand Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. With a population of almost 66 million, it spa ...

. They, along with the

US Virgin Islands The United States Virgin Islands, officially the Virgin Islands of the United States, are a group of Caribbean islands and a Territories of the United States, territory of the United States. The islands are geographically part of the Virgin Isl ...

, are also the only countries listed here which

drive on the left Left-hand traffic (LHT) and right-hand traffic (RHT) are the practices, in bidirectional traffic, of keeping to the left side or to the right side of the road, respectively. They are fundamental to traffic flow, and are sometimes called the ' ...

—with the exception of

Liberia Liberia, officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country on the West African coast. It is bordered by Sierra Leone to Liberia–Sierra Leone border, its northwest, Guinea to Guinea–Liberia border, its north, Ivory Coast to Ivory Coast–Lib ...

and the

Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...

(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 The Convention on Road Signs and Signals, commonly known as the Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals, is a multilateral treaty to standardize the signing system for road traffic (road signs, traffic lights and road markings) in use inte ...

Argentina Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...

Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...

Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in western South America. It is the southernmost country in the world and the closest to Antarctica, stretching along a narrow strip of land between the Andes, Andes Mountains and the Paci ...

Cuba Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is an island country, comprising the island of Cuba (largest island), Isla de la Juventud, and List of islands of Cuba, 4,195 islands, islets and cays surrounding the main island. It is located where the ...

Ecuador Ecuador, officially the Republic of Ecuador, is a country in northwestern South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and the Pacific Ocean on the west. It also includes the Galápagos Province which contain ...

French Guiana French Guiana, or Guyane in French, is an Overseas departments and regions of France, overseas department and region of France located on the northern coast of South America in the Guianas and the West Indies. Bordered by Suriname to the west ...

Paraguay Paraguay, officially the Republic of Paraguay, is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the Argentina–Paraguay border, south and southwest, Brazil to the Brazil–Paraguay border, east and northeast, and Boli ...

, and

Suriname Suriname, officially the Republic of Suriname, is a country in northern South America, also considered as part of the Caribbean and the West Indies. It is a developing country with a Human Development Index, high level of human development; i ...

. 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. 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 Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...

, considerable variation within road sign designs can exist within nations, especially in multilingual areas. Mistassini roadsign

Differences between MUTCD-influenced traffic signs

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

, the text on stop signs in the Americas varies depending on language, and may be multilingual.

Languages

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

airport An airport is an aerodrome with extended facilities, mostly for commercial Aviation, air transport. They usually consist of a landing area, which comprises an aerially accessible open space including at least one operationally active surf ...

s and tourist areas.)

Differences in units

* All countries, with the exception of the United States and the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

, use the

metric Metric or metrical may refer to: Measuring * Metric system, an internationally adopted decimal system of measurement * An adjective indicating relation to measurement in general, or a noun describing a specific type of measurement Mathematics ...

system. Some countries mark this fact by using units on various signs. **

, Ireland, Mexico,

Panama Panama, officially the Republic of Panama, is a country in Latin America at the southern end of Central America, bordering South America. It is bordered by Costa Rica to the west, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north, and ...

Peru Peru, officially the Republic of Peru, is a country in western South America. It is bordered in the north by Ecuador and Colombia, in the east by Brazil, in the southeast by Bolivia, in the south by Chile, and in the south and west by the Pac ...

, and parts of Canada (

British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...

, parts of

Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...

, and

Yukon Yukon () is a Provinces and territories of Canada, territory of Canada, bordering British Columbia to the south, the Northwest Territories to the east, the Beaufort Sea to the north, and the U.S. state of Alaska to the west. It is Canada’s we ...

) list units (km/h) on their maximum speed limit. ** In

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

and

, 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. Meanwhile, in Ireland, its recent speed limit transition from

miles per hour Miles per hour (mph, m.p.h., MPH, or mi/h) is a British imperial and United States customary unit of speed expressing the number of miles travelled in one hour. It is used in the United Kingdom, the United States, and a number of smaller count ...

kilometres per hour The kilometre per hour (International System of Units, SI symbol: km/h; non-SI abbreviations: kph, kmph, km/hr) is a Units of measurement, unit of speed, expressing the number of kilometres travelled in one hour. History Although the metre was f ...

didn't take effect until 20 January 2005, although distance road signs had already been labelled in metric since the 1970s. ** The US territory of

Puerto Rico ; abbreviated PR), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, is a Government of Puerto Rico, self-governing Caribbean Geography of Puerto Rico, archipelago and island organized as an Territories of the United States, unincorporated territo ...

uses a mixspeed 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 (

tonne The tonne ( or ; symbol: t) is a unit of mass equal to 1,000 kilograms. It is a non-SI unit accepted for use with SI. It is also referred to as a metric ton in the United States to distinguish it from the non-metric units of the s ...

s or

metre The metre (or meter in US spelling; symbol: m) is the base unit of length in the International System of Units (SI). Since 2019, the metre has been defined as the length of the path travelled by light in vacuum during a time interval of of ...

s); in the US, the

short ton The short ton (abbreviation: tn or st), also known as the US ton, is a measurement unit equal to . It is commonly used in the United States, where it is known simply as a ton; however, the term is ambiguous, the single word "ton" being variously ...

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.British Columbia Manual of Standard Traffic Signs & Pavement Markings
/ref> No such equivalent exists in the US. * The US was, at one time, planning a transition to the metric system. The

Metric Conversion Act The Metric Conversion Act of 1975 is an Act of Congress that was signed into law by U.S. President Gerald Ford on December 23, 1975. It declared the metric system "the preferred system of weights and measures for United States trade and commerc ...

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

Warning signs

* 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,

and many areas in Canada. In Japan and the

, pentagonal signs are permanently used for pedestrian crossings. **

employs European-style red-bordered triangular warning signs in certain instances where extra attention is required. The

, Taiwan and Vietnam uses this style for most warning signs, though some highways like the

Subic–Clark–Tarlac Expressway The Subic–Clark–Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX), signed as E1 and E4 of the Philippine expressway network, is a controlled-access toll expressway in the Central Luzon region of the Philippines. From its northern terminus in Tarlac City to its so ...

and the

Manila–Cavite Expressway The Manila–Cavite Expressway (more popularly known as CAVITEX), signed as E3 of the Philippine expressway network and R-1 of Metro Manila's arterial road network, is a controlled-access highway linking Manila to the southern province of ...

use MUTCD-style yellow diamond-shaped warning signs. * Warning signs may be text-only.

Road works and construction

* Most countries use orange diamond-shaped signs for construction zones. Australia, Cambodia, the

, 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

* 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).MUTCD History
/ref> 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

* The design of mandatory signs varies widely, since the MUTCD does not specify their use.Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, 2009 Edition
/ref> 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 America Latin America is the cultural region of the Americas where Romance languages are predominantly spoken, primarily Spanish language, Spanish and Portuguese language, Portuguese. Latin America is defined according to cultural identity, not geogr ...

n countries (and formerly

) 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.Compare Bicycles Only (Ciclovia) sign in Brazil, Colombia, Jamaica, Uruguay: Brasil R-34

with No Bicycles sign in Continental Europe: Vienna Convention road sign C3c-V3-1

** Canada uses a unique style of mandatory sign that features a green circle.

Highway and wayfinding signs

* Most countries use white-on-green signs on highways and to indicate location, direction, freeway name, exit numbers, etc. ** The exact style of these signs varies widely, although many are influenced by the MUTCD standard. **

, Ireland, Japan, and New Zealand use both white-on-green and white-on-blue guide signs, as does the

Northwest Territories The Northwest Territories is a federal Provinces and territories of Canada, territory of Canada. At a land area of approximately and a 2021 census population of 41,070, it is the second-largest and the most populous of Provinces and territorie ...

and Ontario in Canada. Parts of Australia use yellow-on-blue guide signs for certain road classes. **

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.

Gallery of guide signs

File:Senal informativa i-6 dnv.svg, Argentina File:Australia GE1-15.svg, Australia (

Queensland Queensland ( , commonly abbreviated as Qld) is a States and territories of Australia, state in northeastern Australia, and is the second-largest and third-most populous state in Australia. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Austr ...

) File:Brasil road sign Dutra-Pinto.svg, Brazil (

São Paulo São Paulo (; ; Portuguese for 'Paul the Apostle, Saint Paul') is the capital of the São Paulo (state), state of São Paulo, as well as the List of cities in Brazil by population, most populous city in Brazil, the List of largest cities in the ...

) File:Brunei road sign - Direction sign-Type I.svg, Brunei File:Cambodia road sign G1-02(1).svg, Cambodia File:British Columbia G-005.svg, Canada (

) File:Ontario G108.svg, Canada (

) File:Ontario Highway 407 Exit Sign.png, Canada (

) Hwy Toll Blue Signage File:Québec I-075-2.svg, Canada (

Quebec Quebec is Canada's List of Canadian provinces and territories by area, largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, ...

) File:Chile Hwy Sign Ercilla.svg, Chile File:China road sign 路 3a.svg, China File:Colombia road sign SI-05.svg, Colombia File:Ecuador road sign I1-1a.svg, Ecuador File:Indonesia new road sign-drnr 01.png, Indonesia File:Information road sign advance direction motorway.svg, Ireland File:Japanese Road sign 108-A.svg, Japan File:E2 EXIT 244 1 km.png, Malaysia File:Mexico road sign 145D-150D.svg, Mexico (

Veracruz Veracruz, formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave, is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 Political divisions of Mexico, Federal Entit ...

) File:New Zealand road sign SH6-SH94.svg, New Zealand File:Panama I-6.svg, Panama File:Peru road sign Huaura-Sayan lima.svg, Peru File:Philippines road sign GE4-1.svg, Philippines File:Singapore road sign - Road approach sign.svg, Singapore File:Road Sign Distance Info South Korea.svg, South Korea File:Taiwan road sign Art097.1-2012.png, Taiwan File:Thailand road sign Trang.svg, Thailand File:NJDOT MUTCD Interchange Advance Guide Signs.svg, United States (

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...

) File:Vietnam road sign IE465.svg, Vietnam

Table of traffic signs comparison

Warning

Regulatory

Mandatory or permitted actions

Other (indication)

Notes

References

{{Traffic signs Street furniture

MUTCD The ''Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways'' (usually referred to as the ''Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices'', abbreviated MUTCD) is a document issued by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) of the Unit ...

Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices MUTCD-influenced traffic signs

Differences between MUTCD-influenced traffic signs

Languages

Differences in units

Color differences

Warning signs

Road works and construction

Regulatory signs

= Mandatory or permitted-action signs

Highway and wayfinding signs

Gallery of guide signs

Table of traffic signs comparison

Warning

Regulatory

Mandatory or permitted actions

Other (indication)

See also

Notes

References