Types of Road Safety Signs and Their Importance

Road safety signs are those regular critical signs which most folks encounter in their daily lives. Road signs are commonly used as guiding symbols to navigate people right and ensure smooth flow of road traffic for cars, bikes, vehicles, pedestrians, road workers and other road users who commute through street roads, highways and roadways routes of all kinds.

All road safety signs serve the same purpose of conveying clear messages in simple icons that is easy to understand universally. Road safety signs are often prominently installed on visible points of the roadsides prompting the attention of drivers, pedestrians and all other road users to prepare for action that is instructed.

Road safety signs usually use familiar simple universal shapes, colors and icons to convey a message to people of all regions and languages. Unlike the regular red, green, yellow/orange traffic signals, road safety comes under different types to ensure the safe and smooth flow of rad traffic for all road users. For better understanding, here are few types of commonly seen critical road safety/road traffic signs.

Warning Signs

Straight from the name, ‘warning signs’, are symbols that highlight caution on the road. These often come in bright yellow coloured diamond shapes and are usually installed in areas that require extra attention. Like in high traffic zones, railway roads, school zones, bicycle crossings, indicating the drivers to stay alert and prepare to slow down or stop for their and others safety on roads.

Pedestrian Bicycle Signs

These types of road signs are commonly installed at the cross junction where there will be both main road traffic pedestrian and bicycle racks as well. Pedestrian and bicycle signs guide the walkers and riders right safely through the main roadways alerting the drivers ensuring smooth road use for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians.

Guide Signals

This guiding signage acts as navigating commands for road users to understand what they should expect ahead and actions they should prepare to take. Examples: Highway signs, cross junction signs, highway exit signs, miles or destination distance signs.

Schools Ahead Signs

Commonly seen at school zones, these road signs direct drivers to slow down their speeds indicating to keep an eye for school children and other road walkers ahead.

These are some of the commonly categorized road signs that most of us see regularly.

Apart from the listed other major signs include motorist services signal and recreation signs that are generally seen around in camping areas, hiking zones, picnic compounds, parks, gas stations, restrooms or other emergency areas to direct road users on long journeys to their basic services for their road safety and wellbeing.

Remember, road signs are guiding signals to direct the road users right and safely. However, your safety is your responsibility, understand these crucial road signs, drive safely, avoid over speeding and drunk or any kind of intoxicated driving is a big, ”NO”. Make a point to follow the road safety rules strictly no matter what and be aware of the basic safety responsibility you have while you drive or walk.