The American Background of Street and Road Signs
Perhaps you have been driving a vehicle down a busy highway, seen a plethora of road signs, and wondered where they all came from? Street signs are made to grant you a feeling of what to expect on the highway whether it be directions, distance, or simply a condition on the road.
The use of street signs flourished once the first motor vehicles hit the roadways. Drivers required signs to inform them where they were going, how to get there and how far away they were. The Italian Touring Club, in 1895, was the first structured group to petition for better road signs for drivers.
In 1908 the International Road congress met in Rome to go over signage on European roads. Out of this meeting came four pictorial signs that were to be displayed noting road conditions. The initial four road signs in modern times were the bump, curve, intersection, and railroad crossing signs. These four signs constituted the very first European road sign system.
The European road sign system was the foundation for the United States sign system. By 1960, North America was using international symbols to depict road conditions, speed limits, and various travel details for drivers.
Most countries now use pictorial symbols for helping international travels navigate with few problems. A typical number of international pictorial symbols have been designed for the majority of road conditions and speed limits.
Modern travelers may also see many electronic signs along roadways. These signs can flash pictures or words and will be immediately updated by computer to reflect changing conditions. In America these electronic signs are even useful to alert drivers to potential dangers and give travelers information.
About This Article
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