Traffic signs are a regular part of our everyday lives. These signs promote order and give us the ability to safely drive from one spot to the next.
The majority of us do not even take a second look at the signs that order our traffic system. These traffic signs also have a long history.
Stop signs may be the most recognized sign in our traffic system. The first of these signs appeared in 1915 in Detroit Michigan.
The stop signs were not standardized until the late 1920's. The idea of traffic signs was still a new concept.
The stop signs were not first colored red. The red color was not visible at night so, instead, the stop signs were colored yellow.
At the time there were no reflective or glass-bead retroflectorization that would enable the signs to be seen when lights hit the sign. This would have made the red stop signs look very dark or even unrecognizable when the sun went down.
Eventually the signs were made to match the red lights of the traffic lights. This consistency made the stop signs more recognizable.
The yellow stop signs needed to be changed because they could have been mistaken for the yellow cautionary signs. As soon as the technology was created that enabled the red signs to be seen at night, the stop signs were standardized to the color red.
Yield signs, were also made to be yellow before they were made to be red. The yield sign became a standardized traffic sign as many as 20 years ago.
The yield sign was made to assign right of way at an intersection when a stop would normally be required. This sign was a point-down equilateral triangle.
The text on the sign was always black and the background had always been yellow. It was not until 1971 that the signs were standardized into red signs with the white region in the center of the sign.
It is interesting to take a deeper look at the stop signs that we drive by every day. They have a history and they were carefully created to be symbols.
Often times we do not have to look at a traffic sign closely to know what it means. This is a result of the consistency of the signs.
To enable the consistency of the signs to span the United States our government has created the Federal Highway Administration. This administration has created the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices.
The Manual on Uniform and Traffic Control Devices is the manual that deems what signs, laws and regulations will govern the traffic in the area. If you are able to understand the general themes of traffic signs in the United State you will be able to get around and understand the signs in all areas of the United States.
There are a few different classifications of signs. These classifications help us to make more sense of the signs by grouping them into more general stratifications.
First, we have the regulatory signs. These are the signs that regulate traffic actions.
A few examples of these signs would be speed limit signs, stop signs, no parking signs and do not enter signs. These signs are an integral part of our traffic system.
They enable the government to give direction concerning the way in which the driver handles the vehicle on the road. Without these signs there would be mass havoc on the roads.
The next classification of signs is the warning signs. These signs tell a driver of something that is coming up on the road or something that would otherwise be hard to notice.
There are signs that signify lane mergers, intersections and even hills. These signs enable the driver to know of any hazardous conditions that could compromise the safety of the driver or even the car.
The next classification of sign is the marker sign. These marker signs tell the driver where they are and enable the driver to get to where they are going.
Marker signs are also very similar to the guide signs. These guide signs are the signs that give general information about the area that a driver is driving in.
The traffic signs have become such a general and standardized way of society that driver's in the United States have made them a part of their everyday driving actions. Driving safely is made easier by the signs.
All in all, traffic signs have made driving in the United States much easier. Obeying traffic signs and abiding by the laws are necessary for having a traffic system that runs smoothly.
Author Resource:-
Jack Landry has been involved in construction for the last 20 years. Jack recommends barricades for your safety.
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.massagebyben.com/articles/images/icon_Rss.png "XML Feed For RSS"){kind=icon}
Category Rss Feed
Print This Article
Add To Favorites 