TRAFFIC

ENGINEERING

MASYADO AKONG NAG IISIP BASTA PASTE NALANG

NG PASTE
CANDARI—1999 – ????
The importance of road signs have been recognized world
wide because of the increasing incidence of road accidents
due to the volume of traffic and bad habits of motor vehicle
drivers.

The United Nations Conference on Road Traffic was held in

Vienna, Austria on October 7, to November 8, 1968 under the
auspices of UNESCO.

UNESCO
- United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural
Organization
On June 6,1973, Presidential Decree No. 207 was issued by
then President Ferdinand E. Marcos which states and partially
quoted:

Whereas, the contracting parties to these conventions to which

the Philippines is a signatory, have agreed to accept the system
of traffic, road signs, signals and symbols and road markings
described in said conventions and to 'adopt the same as soon as
possible.

Whereas, there is now an urgent needed for the ratify caution of

these conventions in order to adopt internationally, prescribed
uniform rules of traffic and ,road signs and signals in the
Philippines, specially so, because of the intensified government
campaign for road safety.

Whereas, the urgent need for adopting the uniform traffic rules,
road signs and signals as prescribed in the conventions is made
more necessary because of the considerable number of
foreigners and tourists that are now operating motor vehicles on
Philippine roads.
The three efficacy principles of Uniformity, Homogeneity, and
Simplicity are not being enforced. Instead, a very complicated
mixture of International and US rules are adopted which leads to
misunderstanding and consequently non-respect of the rules.

UNIFORMITY
-includes the prohibition to use unofficial signs and
markings.

HOMOGENUITY
-requires that in the same conditions, the user notices
signs or marking with the same value, same importance and
located according to the same rules.

SIMPLICITY
-is to avoid superabundance of signs that over strain
the drivers having the tendency to neglect the given instructions.
Sometimes drivers cannot read, understand, or register the
meaning of the signs or markings.
Road Signs has the Following
Objectives
1. To lead to a safest road traffic.
2. To facilitate this traffic.
3. To indicate or to remind some particular traffic rules.
4. To inform the drivers how to use the highway.
The Different Categories of
Signaling Devices are:
1. Road traffic signs.
2. Road traffic signals.
3. Pavement markings.
4. Guide posts and delineators
Road Signs are Classified into the
Following Categories.
1. Danger Warning Signs
2. Intersection Signs
3. Prescription Signs
a) Prohibitive
b) Obligation
4. General Information Signs
5. Direction Signs
6. Agglomeration Signs
7. Railway Crossing Signs
8. Temporary Signs (on road works)
9. Special Instruction Signs
Visibility and Legibility
Signaling devices whether horizontal or vertically installed has
the following objectives:

1. To Inform
2. To Prevent
3. To Guide
4. Act as liaison agents between the driver and the highway
alignment.
Visibility and Legibility of road signs or the
pavement markings are dependent on three
parameters.
1. The detection
2. The identification
3. The reading
DETECTION
-is the minimum area in contrast with the environment
perceptibility by human eye.

IDENTIFICATION
-is an analysis of the form and color of the road signs
to understand the messages it conveys.

READING
-is the fundamental role of road signs conforming to
alpha numerical language or by the symbol of information
transmitted to the driver.
 TABLE I0-1 STANDARD FORM AND SIZE OF
ROAD SIGNS
CENTIMETERS
Type Triangle Circle Octagon Square
Side Diameter Width Side
Very Big 150 125 120 105
Big Size 125 105 100 90
Normal Size 100 85 80 70
Small Size 70 65 60 50
Very Small 50 45 40 35
Basic Principle of Road Signs
To be useful, road signs must be efficient
according to:
1. Valorisation Principles
2. Concentration Principles
3. Legibility Principles
Valorization Principle
-means to use only the needed and useful signs. Too
many road signs lessen its efficiency.

Concentration Principle
-When it is necessary that some road signs must be
seen at the same time, they should be installed for the driver to
see at a glance by might and day. The signs must be set on the
same post when the two indications relating to the same point
are complementary.

Legibility Principle
-Excessive efforts of reading or memory works cannot
be required from the driver. The indications or analogical
messages should be reduced, and if necessary, road signs
should be properly distributed.
Warning (Danger) Sign
Warning Sign
 is used to warn traffic of potentially hazardous conditions on
or adjacent to the roadway.
 is always Triangular in Shape with one Vertical Angle and
dark blue symbol, two borders one white and red with
reflectorized white background.
Objectives of Warning Signs
1. The highway structure such as curves, humps, dips and
narrowing.
2. Conditions of the road such as slippery, falling rocks and
the like.
3. Other transport infrastructure like opening bridge, airport
vicinity, railway crossing etc.
4. The condition of vehicles and pedestrian traffic, pedestrian
crossing, children area, two-lane highway after a multi-
lane highway.
5. Local circumstances such as: factory exit, quarry exit etc.
Fixed Message Signs Includes:
1. Detailed direction to motorist of the freeways and warning
signs regarding destination and lane occupancy.
2. Signs to notify motorists of the changes in directions.
3. For low volume rural roads, only directional and kilometric
signs installed at intersections and also signs for
dangerous conditions.
Objectives of Warning Signs
The objectives of warning sign is to attract driver's
attention in the areas where his watchfulness has to
increase on account of the obstacles or of the
dangerous points linked to:
1. The highway structure such as curves, humps, dips and
narrowing.
2. Conditions of the road such as slippery, falling rocks and
the like.
3. Other transport infrastructure like opening bridge, airport
vicinity, railway crossing etc.
4. The condition of vehicles and pedestrian traffic, pedestrian
crossing, children area, two-lane highway after a multi-
lane highway.
5. Local circumstances such as: factory exit, quarry exit etc.
Fixed Message Signs Includes:
1. Detailed direction to motorist of the freeways and warning
signs regarding destination and lane occupancy.
2. Signs to notify motorists of the changes in directions.
3. For low volume rural roads, only directional and kilometric
signs installed at intersections and also signs for
dangerous conditions.

Road signs should not carry commercial advertisement other

than for traffic control only.
Installation of Regulatory and
Warning Signs
Regulatory and Warning signs are installed sparingly because
excessive use of these signs will only decrease their authority.

1. For oversized signs on expressway and freeways, white

letter on green background with white border is
recommended.
2. Large sizes of signs are effective on expressway or where
speed, hazard, accident experience or competition from
lights or other signs is extreme.
3. Excessive use of large signs should be avoided because it
makes the regular sizes less effective.
4. Non-reflectorized signs are satisfactory for most school
zone markings, parking control, men working and other
temporary warnings that are effective only in daytime or
illuminated by street lighting.
5. The Traffic Manual suggest that two signs, one black on
white, unreflec0orized and other white on black
reflectorized be mounted on the same standard where
speed limits differ between day and night.
6. Signs with significance at night should be illuminated or
reflectorized.
7. The sign message must be simple. The driver in so short a
time available looking at sign messages cannot observe
and assimilate large amount of information printed on it.
8. An expressway or freeways usually have two messages
and no more than three regarding directions or destination
should appear on a single signboard.
Other important Place Information should be given
on separate signs. At turnoffs from limited access
facilities, directional sign may be used either:
1. To indicate the immediate maneuver without detail to
subsequent one or
2. To diagram those later movements on earlier signs
Effectiveness of Road Signs
As mentioned earlier, too many signs will make all of them less
effective. Large signs overwhelm any smaller ones. Thus,
signs often fail to accomplish its main purpose. For example:

1. Stop sign to control vehicle speed in residential areas are

useless for being ineffective. Majority of the motorists
make a roll stop and few others only ignore the signs.
2. Signs like "Slow Children at Play" have no effect on
speeds. Selection of sign message is important because
drivers react to them differently.
3. The "Slippery When Wet" warning sign is not threatening,
but effective only when accompanied by flashers.
4. If signs convey incorrect information such as safe speed
indicator on curve warning sign suggest a speed slower
than the driver find easy and comfortable, they will ignore
subsequent messages, thinking that the signs are only
fooling them.
5. If signs tell them that there is ongoing construction or
maintenance work ahead when none is actually in
progress, drivers will ignore all such signs.
Intersection Signs
Article III of the Right of Way and Signals of the Traffic Code is
not clear. Therefore, it is necessary to define the right of way
rules at the junctions and intersections.

The right of way can be reduced

to three possible situations:
1. General Rule
-When the vehicles approaches an intersection from
different roads, the driver on the left should yield the right of way to
the vehicle on the right except as otherwise hereinafter provided.

General Rule, right priority sign W 2-1 warning sign of

the intersections where the driver has to give way to
the vehicles approaching or entering the intersection on
the right.
2. Priority Road
-Any vehicle running on this type of road has always the
right of way against the vehicle coming from the right or from the
left, except as otherwise provided.

Priority Road: Sign 12-9 punctual warning sign of the intersections

where the driver has priority against all vehicles. The thickness of the principal
road is bigger to avoid confusion with another sign. Sign STOP or GIVE WAY
has to be located on the other road.

Priority Sign P1 and P2 is to inform the driver that he is

driving on a priority road or street and that he has the right of way.
3. Non-Priority Road
The driver of any vehicle entering a highway from private road
shall yield the right of way to all vehicles approaching, entering
or in the intersection

The Stop sign is used to ensure caution before entering

an intersection. A full stop is necessary for safety.

The R1-1 Sign cannot be used alone. It is announce by R1-2a sign installed
before the intersections like a warning sign.

The GIVE WAY sign notifies the obligation of the driver to give way
to all vehicles coming from right and left without the obligation to stop.
The use of this sign supposes that the sight triangles are effectively
implemented and maintained. It also supposes. that the GIVE WAY
sign is announce by R1-2b sign located before the intersection like a
warning sign.
The Philippine road signs manual (Revised Edition 1982)
proposes no less than 22 traffic sign combinations for
junctions and intersections. it is too much number giving the
drivers more confusion. The proposal is to use only six types
of intersection signs for simplicity.

Exception to the Right of Way Rules

1. Vehicle drivers entering a highway from private road must
yield the right of way to all vehicles approaching on such
highway.
2. Driver of vehicle upon a highway of any category must
yield the right of way to police or fire department vehicles
and ambulances operating on official business and the
driver thereof sounding audible signal of their approaches.
3. The indications of traffic signals or the orders of a traffic
office prevails against the right of way rules
In an intersection where some flows of traffic can be
in conflict, it is suggested that the drivers must be:
1. Notified in time of the existence of intersection.
2. Informed of the applicable right of way rules.
3. Able to see the vehicles approaching upon the other
roads.

The first two prescriptions will be implemented by means of

road signs the third is by sight triangles.
Location of the Intersection Signs
On Rural Areas, the normal distance between the intersections
and the warning signs is 150 meters. This distance can be
modified according to site conditions and the free operating
speed. It can reach up to 400 meters on highways with good
visibility and where the speed can be high. There are
exceptional cases where two very near successive intersections
can justify location distance shorter than 100 meters.

When signs are located more than 200 meters from an

intersection, it should be repeated at half distance, and the two
signs should be equipped with distance sign.
Distance Indication Sign
Road signs located between 100 meters and 200
meters before an intersection do not have distance sign.
Where the distance is shorter than 100 meters or greater than
200 meters it should be indicated on the distance sign' The
distance is rounded to the nearest 50 meters if it is greater
than 200 meters. Between 50 and 100 meters it is rounded to
50 or 100.

The road signs Rl-2a and R1-2b are always located

with a distance sign. The distance is rounded to nearest 50
meters if it is greater than 100 meters. Between 50 and 100
meters it is rounded to 50, 75 and 100 meters. The distance
signs are located under the road signs.
 The roadside sign should be mounted clear of roadside
vegetation and clearly visible under low headlight illumination by
light. The height of the sign base is 1.00 meter above the nearest
edge of the travel way but this height could be modified to improve
visibility. On the intersection island, the signs can be installed less
than 1.00 meter to prevent them from masking the visibility.

In Urban Areas, the distance between the successive

intersections is variable including the warning signs. Road signs
are located between the intersection and the preceding junction'
When the distance is smaller than 50 meters, it is rounded to the
nearest l0 meters. On curbed roads, signs are located back from
the face of the curb not less than 30 centimeters or more than
1.00 meter.

In Urban Areas with public illumination, the signs can be

placed at 2.30 meters above the top of the curb. Where
pedestrian or parking of vehicle is not allowed, the rural area rules
are applicable.
Sight Triangles
If possible, vehicle drivers should be given the best
visibility conditions. Thus, in designing road intersections, the
Free Flow Operating Speed is considered, not the Design
Speed.

The signal GIVE WAY is applied only to the vehicles

on the secondary road. However, it is necessary to check if the
vehicles on the secondary road have the visibility
corresponding to the execution at the crossing or insertion
maneuver
Forms of Intersection Signs
1. Triangular in shape with one angle vertical.
2. Triangular shape with one angle at the bottom.
3. Square and octagonal shape.

The triangular shaped signs with one angle vertical are

following the general rules for warning signs. The triangular
shaped with one angle at the bottom includes red border wider
than the normal warning sign (x 1.333).
Prescription Sign
Prescription Road Signs
 inform the drivers of the traffic laws and regulations that
could be an offense to anyone who disregard and violate it.
 Prescription sign is installed only with the approval of Public
Authority having jurisdiction of the premises to be removed
any time if the legal requirements of the signs become
inconsistent with the prevailing conditions.
Prescription Sign is Classified into
Three Categories
a) Prohibitive Signs
b) Obligation Signs
c) End of Prescription Signs

The prescription signs are circular in shape, but for regulatory

purposes of parking applied to a zone, the circle is placed
inside a square.
 The Prohibitive Signs have a white background, red
ring and prohibitive red bar, symbols, and letters. Numbers are
dark blue except the sign R3-1 with red background and the
Signs R5-10, R5-12 with a dark blue background.

The NO ENTRY sign has only white border. The background is

red with a horizontal white bar.

In order to improve the legibility, only the following signs

includes transversal bar.
 No Left Turn, No Right Turn, No U Turn
 No Stop, No Parking
 No Use of Audible Warning Device
 Prohibited Traffic
The sign RO indicated that at traffic is
prohibited on both directions for all vehicles.

No Entry for all Vehicles

This sign R3-1 indicates in the beginning of
the one way road that the vehicles can only
circulate in opposite direction. It is necessary
to repeat this sign on all intersections along
this one way road.

The No Left Turn - No Right Turn

The No Left Turn - No Right Turn The turn
prohibition is applicable at the next
intersection. The signs can be completed by
auxiliary sign M4 giving the category of
vehicles.
 The No U Turn
This sign is used to notify the U-Turn
prohibition up to the next intersection. This
intersection is included in the prohibition.

The No Overtaking Sign

The R3-16 sign signifies the drivers that it is
prohibited to overpass any Vehicle except the two wheel
vehicles without sidecar. The R3- 16 sign must be
completed by continuous line marking on the pavement.

Stop Control
The R3-17 sign is used to notify the proximity of a
control point where the vehicle has to stop. The sign is
divided into two by a dark blue horizontal bar. On the
superior part it includes the word STOP and below it
is written the nature of the control or the reason of the
required stop, which can be Police, Custom, Health, Toll,
etc.
Obligation Signs
-are circular in shape. The background is dark blue.
The symbols and border is white. If the administration enforces
prohibition or an obligation sign, it has to inform the driver the
end of this restriction to the highway use
Obligation Signs
The meaning of the following Obligatory Direction signs

R2-1 - Obligation to continue straight ahead

R2-2 (R) - Obligation to follow the right direction
R2-2 (L) - Obligation to follow the left direction
R2-3 (R) - Obligation to turn the obstacle by its right side
R2-3 (L) - Obligation to turn the obstacle by its left side
R2-4 (R) - Obligation to turn right
R2-4 (L) - Obligation to turn left
R2-8 (R) - Obligation to go straight ahead or to turn right
R2-8 (L) - Obligation to go straight ahead or to tum left
R2-9 - Obligation to turn right or left
R2-10 - Obligation to use the roundabout
End of Prescription Signs
 The end of all prohibition signs is also circular in shape and
represents the same bar sign obligation symbol.
 A red bar from the right top to the left bottom cancels this
obligation.
 The R4-2 informs the drivers of the end of all the previous
prescriptions.
 However, it does not include the law that prescribes the
national speed limit.
 The R4 notifies the driver of the end of all particular speed
limits other than those defined by the general laws, speed
limits previously applied to all vehicles or only to one or
several categories.
 The sign should not be setup on the road where the speed
limit is greater or smaller than the ones prescribed by the
general rules. -
Direction Signs
Direction signs are divided into four categories
 Advance direction sign
 Intersection direction sign
 Reassurance of confirmatory sign
 Entering and Exit of urban area

These four categories are well defined in the Philippine Road

Signs Manual.
 These green signs with white letters, border and arrows are
used for national highways.
 For expressways and freeways, blue background signs are
used.
 The letter symbols and border are all white.
 For small rural roads, white background signs with black
letters, numbers and borders are used.
Entering and Exiting Urban Areas
 It is necessary to advise all vehicle drivers that they are
entering an urban area where the condition of traffic is
different.
 The driver should be informed that he is entering the city of
(X) and to refrain from being attracted by anything except to
look at the shop signs only to know where he is.
 The sign EB10 is rectangular in shape with white
background, red and white borders and dark blue letters. At
the end of the city proper, another sign EB20 notifies the
driver that he is leaving the place and that he can resume his
speed under the traffic regulations.
 These two signs, limit the area where the attention of the
driver is concentrated. Outside the city limit after the EB20
sign, the condition of driving will be different giving the driver
the signal to resume his speed.
That’s the end thank you!!!!!