This is the Road Sign Ontology developed by: Miguel Pousa, Oscar Motto and Eusebio Carasusán. Road signs are signs erected at the side of roads to provide information to road users. With traffic volumes increasing over the last eight decades, many countries have adopted pictorial signs or otherwise simplified and standardized their signs to facilitate international travel where language differences would create barriers, and in general to help enhance traffic safety. Such pictorial signs use symbols (often silhouettes) in place of words and are usually based on international protocols. Such signs were first developed in Europe, and have been adopted by most countries to varying degrees.
These panels shall have either a white or yellow ground and a black, dark blue or red rim, in which case the distance or length or symbol shall be inscribed in black or dark blue; or a black or dark blue ground and a white, yellow or red rim, in which case the distance or length or symbol shall be inscribed in white or yellow.
Informative signs are usually rectangular; however, direction signs may be in the shape of an elongated rectangle with the longer side horizontal, terminating in an arrowhead. 2. Informative signs shall bear either white or light-coloured symbols or inscriptions on a dark ground, or dark-coloured symbols or inscriptions on a white or light-coloured ground; the colour red may be used only exceptionally and must never predominate.
Section D of Annex 1 to this Convention describes the mandatory signs and gives their meaning. Mandatory signs shall be circular, except signs D, 10 described in subsection II, paragraph 10 of this section which shall be rectangular. We don't define D,10 yet in this ontology Unless provided otherwise, the signs shall be blue and the symbols shall be white or of a light colour, or, alternatively, the signs shall be white with a red rim and the symbols shall be black
The signs for notifying or informing road-users of the special rules of priority at intersections
Section C of Annex 1 to this Convention describes the prohibitory and restrictive signs and gives their meaning. It also describes the signs notifying the end of these prohibitions and restrictions or of any one of them.
Prohibitory and restrictive signs shall be circular. Unless otherwise specified where the signs in question are described, prohibitory or restrictive signs shall have a white or yellow ground or blue ground for signs prohibiting or restricting standing and parking with a wide red border; the symbols and the inscriptions, if any, shall be black or dark blue and the oblique bars, if any, shall be red and shall slope downwards from left to right.
Special regulation signs are usually square or rectangular with a blue ground and a light coloured symbol or inscription, or with a light coloured ground and a dark coloured symbol or inscription. Section E of Annex 1 to this Convention describes the special regulation signs and gives their meaning.
Sign G, 17 ADVISORY SPEED shall be used to show the speed at which it is advisable to drive if circumstances permit and if the driver is not required to comply with a lower limit specific to his category of vehicle. The figure or range of figures appearing on the sign shall indicate the speed in the unit of measurement most commonly used to express the speed of vehicles in the country concerned. This unit may be specified on the sign.
Warning of a section of road likely to be flown over at low altitude by aircraft taking off from or landing on an airfield
Warning of a section of road on which there is a particular danger of animals crossing
Warning that the carriageway ahead is narrower
Warning of a section of road frequented by children, such as the exit from a school or playground
Sign D, 4 COMPULSORY CYCLE TRACK shall notify cyclists that the track at the entrance to which it is placed is reserved for them, and shall notify the drivers of other vehicles that they are not entitled to use that track. Cyclists shall be required to use the track if the track is running along a carriageway, footpath or track for riders on horseback and leading into the same direction. However, drivers of mopeds shall also be required, in the same conditions, to use the cycle track if domestic legislation so provides or if notification of this requirement is given by an additional panel bearing an inscription or the symbol of sign C, 3d.
Sign D, 5 COMPULSORY FOOTPATH shall notify pedestrians that the path at the entrance to which it is placed is reserved for them, and shall notify other road users that they are not entitled to use that path. Pedestrians shall be required to use the path if the path is running along a carriageway, cycle track or track for riders on horseback and leading into the same direction.
Sign D, 7 COMPULSORY MINIMUM SPEED, shall mean that vehicles using the road at the entrance to which it is placed shall travel at not less than the speed specified, the figure shown on the sign shall express this speed in the unit of measurement most commonly used to express the speed of vehicles in the country concerned. After the figure specifying the speed may be added, for instance, Km (Kilometres) or m (Miles).
Sign D, 3 COMPULSORY ROUNDABOUT, shall notify drivers that they must follow the direction at the roundabout indicated by the arrows. If the roundabout is indicated by the sign D, 3 together with the sign B, 1 or B, 2, the driver in the roundabout has priority.
Sign D, 6 COMPULSORY TRACK FOR RIDERS ON HORSEBACK shall notify riders on horseback that the track at the entrance of which it is placed is reserved for them and shall notify other road users that they are not entitled to use that track. Riders on horseback shall be required to use the track if the track is running along a carriageway, cycle track or footpath and leading into the same direction.
Warning of a section of road on which there is often a strong cross-wind
Warning of a point at which cyclists frequently enter or cross the road
Warning of a dangerous bend or succession of dangerous bends Warning of a dangerous bend or succession of dangerous bends shall be given by one of the following symbols, whichever is appropriate: (a) A, 1a: left bend (b) A, 1b: right bend (c) A, 1c: double bend, or succession of more than two bends, the first to the left (d) A, 1d: double bend, or succession of more than two bends, the first to the right.
Warning of a section of road where the shoulders are particularly dangerous
indicate the location of emergency exits. The signs G, 23a and G, 23b indicate the location of emergency exits. The signs G, 24a, G, 24b and G, 24c are examples of signs to indicate the direction and distance of the nearest emergency exits. In tunnels, they shall be placed at a maximum distance of 50 m apart and at a height of 1 to 1.5 m on the sidewalls.
Sign D, 8 END OF COMPULSORY MINIMUM SPEED, shall mean that the compulsory minimum speed imposed by sign D, 7 is no longer in effect. Sign D, 8 shall to be identical to sign D, 7, except that it shall be crossed by an oblique red bar running from the upper right edge to the lower left edge.
Sign E, 5b, END OF MOTORWAY, shall be placed at the point where those rules cease to apply.
The END OF PRIORITY sign shall be sign B, 4. It shall consist of sign B, 3 above with the addition of a black or grey median band perpendicular to the lower left and upper right sides of the square, or of black or grey parallel lines forming such a band.
Sign E, 6b, END OF ROAD FOR MOTOR VEHICLES, may also be used and repeated to give warning of the ending of the road; the distance between each sign set up for this purpose and the end of the road shall be inscribed on the lower part of the sign.
Sign E, 11b END OF TUNNEL may be placed at the point from which the special rules no longer apply.
Sign E, 5a, MOTORWAY, shall be placed at the point where the special rules to be observed on a motorway begin to apply.
Sign E, 6a, ROAD FOR MOTOR VEHICLES, shall be placed at the point where special traffic rules begin to apply on roads other than motorways which are reserved for motor vehicle traffic and do not serve properties bordering on the road. An additional panel may be placed under sign E, 6a to show that, by way of exception, the access of motor vehicles to properties bordering on the road is permitted.
Sign E, 11a TUNNEL indicates a section of road passing through a tunnel and on which special traffic rules apply. It is placed at the point from which these rules apply.
Sign G, 19 ESCAPE LANE shall be used to indicate an escape lane on steep descent. This sign, with a plate showing distance to the escape lane, should be placed in conjunction with sign A, 2 at the top of the descent, where the danger zone begins and at the entry to the escape lane. Depending on the length of the descent the sign should be repeated as necessary, again with a distance plate.
notifying an exit from a motorway Signs G, 22a; G, 22b and G, 22c are examples of advance signs for notifying an exit from a motorway. These signs shall bear the indication of a distance to the exit from a motorway, as determined by domestic legislation, provided that signs bearing respectively one and two oblique bars are set up at one third and two thirds of the distance between the sign bearing three oblique bars and the exit from a motorway.
Warning of a section of road on which there is danger from falling rocks and the consequent presence of rocks on the carriageway
Warning of level-crossings with gates or staggered half-gates on either side of the railway line
Sign G, 14, GENERAL SPEED LIMITS, shall be used, especially near national frontiers, to notify the general speed limits in force in a country or in a subdivision of that country.
The GIVE WAY sign shall be sign B, 1. It shall consist of an equilateral triangle having one side horizontal and the opposite vertex below it. The ground shall be white or yellow and the border red. The sign shall bear no symbol.
This sign shall be used to notify drivers of vehicles that they should take the precautions required near medical establishments; in particular, that they should not make any unnecessary noise.
Warning of an intersection where the priority is that prescribed by the general priority rule in force in the country
Warning of an intersection with a road the users of which must give way
notifying advised itinerary for heavy vehicles G, 18 ADVISED ITINERARY FOR HEAVY VEHICLES
Warning of a dangerous left bend or succession of left dangerous bends
Warning of a section of road on which gravel may be thrown up
Notification that entry is prohibited for all vehicles shall be given by sign C, 1, NO ENTRY, of which there are two models: C, 1a, and C, 1b.
Examples of advance direction signs for NO THROUGH ROAD: G,13
Two different ONE-WAY signs may be set up where it is necessary to indicate a road or carriageway which is one-way: (i) Sign E, 3a placed approximately perpendicular to the axis of the carriageway; its panel shall be square. (ii) Sign E, 3b placed approximately parallel to the axis of the carriageway; its panel shall be an elongated rectangle the long side of which is horizontal. The words "one way" may be inscribed on the arrow of sign E, 3b in the national language or one of the national languages of the country concerned.48
Warning of a section of road on which there is a danger other than those enumerated
The additional panels H, 3 and H, 4 concerning parking prohibitions or restrictions are of models H, 3a; H, 3b and H, 3c and H, 4a; H, 4b and H, 4c respectively. (See: section C, para. 9 (c) of this annex).
Sign E, 14a, PARKING, which may be set up parallel to the axis of the road, shall indicate places where the parking of vehicles is authorized. The panel shall be square53. It shall bear the letter or ideogram used in the State concerned to denote "Parking". The ground of this sign shall be blue.
Sign D, 2 PASS THIS SIDE, placed, notwithstanding the provisions of Article 6, paragraph 1 of this Convention, on an island or before an obstacle on the carriageway, shall mean that vehicles must pass on the side of the island or obstacle indicated by the arrow.
Sign E, 12a, "PEDESTRIAN CROSSING", is used to show pedestrians and drivers the position of a pedestrian crossing. The ground of the panel shall be blue or black, the triangle white or yellow and the symbol black or dark blue; the symbol displayed shall be symbol A, 12.
indicate a pedestrian overpass or underpass Sign G, 20 is used to indicate a pedestrian overpass or underpass.
The PRIORITY ROAD sign shall be sign B, 3. It shall consist of a square with one diagonal vertical. The rim of the sign shall be black; the sign shall have in its centre a yellow or orange square with a black rim; the space between the two squares shall be white.
Places where parking is prohibited shall be indicated by sign C, 18 PARKING PROHIBITED.Sign C, 18 may be replaced by a circular sign with a red border and a red transverse bar, bearing the letter or ideogram used in the State concerned to denote Parking, in black on a white or yellow ground
Notification that all vehicular traffic is prohibited in both directions shall be given by sign C, 2, CLOSED TO ALL VEHICLES IN BOTH DIRECTIONS
Notification that turning is prohibited (to the right or to the left according to the direction of the arrow) shall be given by sign C, 11a NO LEFT TURN or sign C, 11b NO RIGHT TURN.
Notification that U-turns are prohibited shall be given by sign C, 12 NO UTURNS. The symbol may be reversed, if appropriate
Signs to be placed in the immediate vicinity of level-crossings
Regulatory signs may be restricted to particular road users by displaying the symbol for their category. For example: H, 5a and H, 5b.
Warning of a dangerous right bend or succession of right dangerous bends
Warning that the road is about to lead on to a quay or river bank
To indicate that the section of road ahead is slippery because of ice or snow the additional panel H, 9 should be used.
Sign G, 15, ROAD OPEN OR CLOSED, shall be used to show whether a mountain road, particularly a section leading over a pass, is open or closed; the sign shall be placed at the entry to the road or roads leading to the section in question.
Warning that work is in progress on the section of the road ahead
Warning that the section of road ahead may be particularly slippery
Sign D, 9, SNOW CHAINS COMPULSORY shall mean that vehicles travelling on the road at the entrance to which it is placed shall have snow chains fitted to not less than two of their driving wheels.
Notification of a speed limit shall be given by sign C, 14, MAXIMUM SPEED LIMITED TO THE FIGURE INDICATED. The figure appearing on the sign shall indicate the maximum speed in the unit of measurement most commonly used to express the speed of vehicles in the country concerned. After or below the figure expressing the speed may be added, for instance, Km (Kilometres) or m (Miles).
The STOP sign shall be sign B, 2, of which there are two models: (i) Model B, 2a is octagonal with a red ground bearing the word STOP in white in English or in the language of the State concerned; the height of the word shall be not less than one third of the height of the panel; (ii) Model B, 2b is circular with a white or yellow ground and a red border; it bears within it sign B, 1 without any inscription, and near the top, in large letters, the word STOP in black or dark blue, in English or in the language of the State concerned. For our purpose we only have developed Model (i) in this ontology
Places where standing and parking are prohibited shall be indicated by sign C, 19, STANDING AND PARKING PROHIBITED.
Warning that there may be traffic congestion on the section of road ahead
indicate to drivers closure of a traffic lane
notify drivers on the number and direction of traffic lanes
If traffic at the intersection is regulated by a light signal
To give warning of an intersection with a tramway line, unless such intersection is a levelcrossing
C, 7 NO ENTRY FOR VEHICLES EXCEEDING ... TONNES LADEN MASS
Warning of a section of road temporarily or permanently carrying two-way traffic on the same carriageway when, on the previous section, traffic was carried on a one-way road or on a road comprising several one-way traffic carriageways
Warning of dips, hump bridges or ridges, or of sections where the carriageway is in bad condition