What Is a Traffic Flagger?

A traffic sign, a road facility that uses words or symbols to convey guidance, restrictions, warnings, or directions. Also known as road signs, road traffic signs. In traffic signs, safety, eye-catching, clear and bright traffic signs are generally important measures to implement traffic management and ensure the safety and smoothness of road traffic. There are many types of traffic signs, which can be distinguished in various ways: main signs and auxiliary signs; movable signs and fixed signs; illuminated signs, illuminated signs and reflective signs; and variable information signs that reflect changes in the driving environment.

A traffic sign, a road facility that uses words or symbols to convey guidance, restrictions, warnings, or directions. Also known as road signs, road traffic signs. In traffic signs, safety, eye-catching, clear and bright traffic signs are generally important measures to implement traffic management and ensure the safety and smoothness of road traffic. There are many types of traffic signs, which can be distinguished in various ways: main signs and auxiliary signs; movable signs and fixed signs; illuminated signs, illuminated signs and reflective signs; and variable information signs that reflect changes in the driving environment.
Chinese name
Traffic signs
Foreign name
Traffic Sign
Category
Sign
Function
Remind the driver information

Traffic sign history

Prohibition sign
As early as the Zhou Dynasty in China, there were records of "listing trees to show the way". During the Roman era, milestones and guides were set up on the military avenue from Rome to Gapia. But most people think that the origins of modern road traffic signs should be traced back to the United Kingdom in December 1879-the local organization of the Cycling Union, the Secklinger Club, placed a warning sign on the road leading to the mountain : "To Secrist-This hill is dangerous". The notice sign written on the iron plate became the earliest road traffic sign written in history. The earliest administrative department to set up traffic signs on the road was the Interlaken Wetland Highway Bureau in Ingstrom. It had a warning sign in October 1881 at a prominent place on Mortten Hills. In October 1901, with the permission of the Gloucestershire State Council, the British Automobile Federation set up the world's first car-specific warning sign on the top of Badlip Hill in Gloucester. Later, the relevant British authorities obtained the power to set traffic signs in accordance with the Motor Regulations promulgated in 1903. On March 10 of the same year, they issued a document "Proposed to use the following traffic signs": A white snake with a diameter of 457 mm (18 inches) is drawn on the wooden board to indicate the speed limit; a red circle indicates prohibition; a red line triangle indicates a warning; a diamond shape indicates an intersection, a dangerous corner, and a sharp turning place. Because not all local authorities accepted the proposal at the time, there was a chaotic situation where traffic signs were not uniform, which was not conducive to the immediate recognition of past car drivers. It was not until 1930 that the Uniformed Traffic Signs Act was recognized throughout the UK, making traffic signs more standardized.
In 1903, due to the active promotion of the French Automobile Federation, France became the world's first country to use a unified automobile traffic sign across the country. At that time, traffic signs in France were written in white paint on a piece of black wooden board, "left turn", "right turn", "bridges" and "dangerous uphill roads" to remind drivers to pay attention.
In 1908, at the first International Road Conference in Paris, the issue of unifying traffic signs was raised and it was decided to implement internationally unified traffic signs. Participating countries and regions were required to draw uniform traffic signs such as uneven roads, intersections, detours and railway crossings in front on triangular wooden boards, and use red lines to make them stand out, but no agreement was reached. Meetings have been held in Europe, the Americas, and Africa to discuss regional or global harmonization of traffic signs. The traffic management authorities of European countries and even countries and regions around the world have incorporated unified traffic signs into road traffic management, and have made innovations and developments according to the road conditions of 36 different countries.
In 1935, the first edition of the Manual of United Traffic Control Devices in the United States was published, which recommended uniform methods and standards for the production of traffic signs throughout the United States. The manual even mentioned the use of "light-emitting materials" "Make traffic signs to improve conditions for traffic safety at night.
In 1968, the United Nations promulgated the Agreement on Road Traffic and Road Signs and Signals as the basis for the development of traffic signs in various countries. Since then, the traffic signs of various countries have gradually developed in the direction of international uniformity in terms of classification, shape, color, and pattern. With the popularization of motor vehicles and the development of roads, more and more countries and governments have realized the important role of traffic markings. Under the leadership and promotion of some developed countries, these simple traffic control facilities have been used to achieve traffic safety. With the continuous improvement of management skills. At the same time, with the efforts of the European Union, the United Nations and other international organizations, more and more countries have joined the unified movement of international road traffic signs and signals, and they are trying to find new ways to achieve internationally convenient transportation. [1]

Traffic sign classification

Road traffic signs are divided into two categories: main signs and auxiliary signs.
The main signs are divided into six types: warning signs, prohibition signs, instruction signs, guidance signs, tourist area signs and road construction safety signs.

Traffic sign warning sign

Plays a warning role. There are 49 types. Warn vehicles and pedestrians to pay attention to signs in dangerous places. The color is yellow bottom, black border, black pattern, and the shape is an equilateral triangle with the top corner facing upward.
Warning sign -2
Warning sign -3

Traffic sign ban sign

Play a role in prohibiting certain behavior. There are 43 kinds in total. Signs prohibiting or restricting the behavior of vehicles and pedestrians. Except for individual signs, the colors are white background, red circle, red bar, black pattern, and pattern bar; the shape is an equilateral triangle with a circle, an octagon, and a vertex facing down. Set near roads or intersections where vehicles or pedestrians need to be prohibited or restricted.
Prohibition sign-1
Prohibition sign-2

Traffic sign

Plays an instructive role. There are 29 categories. Signs indicating the movement of vehicles and pedestrians. The color is a blue background and white pattern; the shape is divided into circles, rectangles and squares; it is set near the road section or intersection that needs to indicate vehicles, pedestrians.
Signage-1
Sign-2
Sign-3

Traffic sign

Play a guiding role. There are 146 species in total. Signs that convey road direction, location, and distance information. Except for milestones and hundred-meter piles, the colors are generally blue and white patterns; highways are generally green and white patterns; the shapes are generally rectangular and square except for location identification signs, milestones, and divergence signs. Set near road sections or intersections that need to convey road direction, location, and distance information.
Guiding Sign-1
Guiding Sign-2

Traffic sign tourist area sign

There are 17 categories. Provide signs of tourist attraction direction and distance. Color is brown background, white character pattern; shape is rectangle and square. The tourist area signs can be divided into two categories: guide signs and tourist signs, which are set near the road sections or intersections that need to indicate the direction and distance of tourist attractions.
Tourist area sign -1

Traffic sign road construction safety sign

Announce the traffic signs in the road construction area. Used to alert vehicle drivers and pedestrians. There are 26 species in total. Among them, there are 20 types of road construction zone signs, which are used to notify highways and general roads of traffic blockages and detours. It should be placed in an appropriate position in front of road construction, maintenance and other sections.
Road construction sign -1
Road construction sign-2
Road construction sign -3

Traffic sign auxiliary sign

Auxiliary signs are signs set to maintain driving safety and smooth traffic when the main signs cannot fully express or indicate their contents. They are white background, black letters, black borders, rectangular shapes, and are attached under the main signs. effect.

Traffic sign composition structure

Traffic sign color appearance

In general, the basic meaning of traffic sign colors is as follows:
a. Red: Prohibition, stop, danger, used for the border, background color, slash of the prohibition sign, also used for the cross symbol and slash symbol, the background color of the warning linear guide, etc.
b. Yellow or fluorescent yellow: indicates a warning, used for the background color of the warning sign.
c. Blue: indicates the background color of instructions, instructions, and directions; indicates driving information such as place names, routes, directions, etc., and is used as the background color of general road guidance signs.
d. Green: indicates driving information such as place name, route, direction, etc. It is used as the background color of highway and urban expressway guidance signs.
e. Brown: Indicate the tourist area and attractions, used as the background color of the tourist area sign.
f. Black: The text used for the logo, graphic symbols, and the border of some logos.
g. White: The background color, text and graphic symbols used for the logo, and the border of some logos
h. Orange or fluorescent orange: warning and guidance signs for road work areas.
i. Fluorescent yellow-green: indicates a warning sign used to warn pedestrians and children.
The general rules for the shape of traffic signs are as follows:
a equilateral triangle: used for warning signs;
b. Round: for prohibitions and signs;
c. Inverted equilateral triangle: used for the sign of "deceleration yield" ban;
d. Octagon: used for "parking concession" sign;
e. Fork: Warning sign for "fork crossing sign at railroad crossing":
f. Square: used for guidance signs, some warning, prohibition and direction signs, tourist area signs, auxiliary signs, notice signs.

Traffic sign lighting sign

a) Internal lighting signs
The sign board has a built-in lighting device, and the sign panel is made of translucent material. There are two types of display: single-sided display and double-sided display. The interior lighting sign can be structurally designed according to the size of the sign board and the wind force it bears. Ensure that the illumination of the sign surface is uniform, and the visual distance at night is 150m. The structure of the light box is reasonable, the metal components have been treated with anti-corrosion, rain and dust, electrical components are durable and reliable, and easy to repair.
b) Exterior lighting signs
How an external light source illuminates the sign surface.
The light source for external lighting signs shall be specially designed. Lighting fixtures and their shadows shall not affect the recognition of the signs. There must be no obvious uneven illumination on the sign surface of the external light source, and the uniformity (maximum illuminance / minimum illuminance) must be less than 4 to ensure a visible distance of 150m at night. External lighting sources should not dazzle drivers on the road.
The components supporting the lamp should be rust-proofed. The lighting device is durable and reliable, with excellent performance and convenient maintenance.
The traffic sign board can be made of aluminum alloy plate, extruded aluminum alloy profile, thin steel plate, synthetic resin plate, etc. The materials used should comply with the provisions of the current Highway Traffic Sign Board (TI '/ T 279), and the thickness should be Determined by calculation.

Traffic sign support structure

(1) Traffic signs, columns, beams, etc. can be made of steel pipes, H-section steel, channel steel, and reinforced concrete. Column caps should be provided at the top of the steel pipes. Steel components shall be treated with anti-corrosion.
(2) The traffic sign shall be provided with a reinforced concrete foundation. The single-column traffic sign located on the bridge section may be attached to the bridge with a steel structure.
Structural design
1. The design basic wind speed should adopt the local flat and open ground, which is 10m above the ground, and the recurrence period is the average maximum wind speed value of 10min for 50 years, which should not be less than 22m / s.
2. The traffic sign structure shall be designed according to the limit state of the carrying capacity and the limit state of normal use, and shall also meet the requirements of construction and technology.
3.The structural importance coefficient of traffic signs can be divided into two levels:
(1) Cantilever and gantry type traffic signs on highways and first-grade highways, structural importance coefficient
(2) For other types of traffic signs on expressways and first-grade highways and traffic signs on other grades of highways, the structural importance factor Y. = 0.9.
4.The load calculation and combination of traffic sign structures, limit state design methods, and the design of foundations should comply with the current General Code for Design of Highway Bridges and Culverts (JTC D60), Code for Design of Highway Bridges and Culverts Foundation and Foundation (JTJ 024), Regulations for Design of Steel Structures (JB 50017) and Road Traffic Signs and Lines (JB 5768).

Traffic sign making materials

(1) Highway traffic sign boards shall be made of reflective film or other retroreflective materials that meet the requirements of the current "Reflective Film for Highway Traffic Signs" (GB / T 18833).
(2) When reflective signs are used for traffic sign boards, first- and second-level reflective films should be used on highways and first-grade highways, and third- and fourth-level reflective films should be used for traffic signs on second- and third-level highways, and fourth-level highways should be Fourth and fifth grade reflective film.
(3) Reflective films with a higher grade than roadside traffic signs should be used for overhanging traffic signs such as gantry and cantilever.
(4) When uniformity is guaranteed and conditions permit, lighting or light emitting diodes can be used to increase the visibility of important signs.
a) Types and properties of reflective materials
Reflective materials used for marking surfaces can be classified into lens-embedded, sealed-capsule-type, and microprism-type according to their structure. The principle of light reflection is: the light that hits the sign surface should be returned to the light source in the opposite direction of the incident light. Due to the difference in the position of the sign and the driving conditions of the vehicle, the reflective material used for the sign surface should have excellent wide-angle and retroreflective properties. Under the conditions of different incident angles (the angle between the headlights of the car and the normal on the surface of the sign) and different observation angles (the angle between the headlight of the car and the light reflected by the sign back to the driver's eyes), use The value of the retroreflective coefficient of the reflective film on the marking surface shall meet the requirements of JT / T279.
b) Application and selection of reflective materials
1) In principle, the traffic signs of roads at all levels should be made of reflective materials to make the signs.
2) The traffic signs of expressways, first-grade highways and urban trunk roads should use grades 1-3 reflective films; the traffic signs of second- and third-grade highways and general urban roads should use grade 4 or higher reflective films. Grade 4 and 5 reflective film can be used for Grade 4 highways and other roads with small traffic.
3) Curve signs on expressways, first-grade highways, urban expressways, and multi-road intersections in urban areas should use reflective materials of grade three or higher.
4) For frame and cantilever signs on highways and urban expressways, in order to obtain a reflective effect equivalent to that of roadside signs, it is better to choose reflective materials with a higher level of reflective film than roadside signs, or use the frame and cantilever signs Use characters on the reflector instead to improve their night visibility. Illuminated signs can also be used on important sections where conditions permit.
c) The color regulations and reference color samples of traffic signs.

Technical requirements for traffic signs

Traffic sign guiding ideology

1.The traffic signs should reflect the characteristics of the highway and the surrounding road network, so that the driver can accurately determine their location, find the correct destination, and reasonably allocate the traffic volume in the road network;
2.Traffic signs should strengthen the driver's awareness of safe driving;
3.The traffic signs should be easy to identify and understand;
4.The setting of traffic signs should be systematic, continuous, balanced, and avoid information overload;
5. The setting of dynamic traffic signs should not hinder the use of static traffic signs.
6.Collect basic data such as roads, traffic, weather, environment and surrounding road networks;
7.Determine the implementation standards and scale of highway traffic signs;
8. Compare the schemes from the aspects of safety, environmental protection, technology, economy, and aesthetics, and choose the best scheme.

Traffic sign setting principles

1. The setting of highway traffic signs should be unfamiliar
Layout
The road users of the surrounding road network system are the design objects. Considering the surrounding road network and highway conditions, traffic conditions, weather and environmental conditions and other factors, formulate reasonable setting standards, according to the functions of various traffic signs and driver behavior characteristics Make reasonable settings.
2. For highways of Grade II and above, and national and provincial highways of other grades, guide signs shall be given priority. Other roads or roads without relevant guide signs shall be provided with necessary warning signs. Prohibition signs should be placed in a conspicuous place near the place where traffic laws and regulations take effect, and interaction with other traffic signs should be avoided. The speed limit signs shall be set in sections according to the capacity of different road sections, the proportion of vehicle models, and the speed of vehicles.
3. When selecting the destination information indicated by the guide signs in the road network, unified consideration should be given to the road network density, highway grade, highway function, and destination popularity. Different types of traffic sign information should echo each other, and there should be no information interruption.
4. The location of traffic signs along the highway in both vertical and horizontal directions shall comply with the provisions of the current Road Traffic Signs and Lines (GB5768). Traffic signs located in the safe side zone of highways and first-grade highways shall be protected by disintegrating energy dissipating structures or guardrails in accordance with the sign structure specifications. Traffic signs located in the safe side zones of other highways shall be induced as necessary.
5. No part of the road traffic sign may intrude within the limits of the road construction. The installation height of the roadside column traffic sign shall take into consideration the board specifications, the linear features and terrain features of the location, and whether there is pedestrian traffic. Cantilever, door The clearance height of overhead signs such as overhead signs should be 20-50cm more than the clearance of highways.
6. When installing a traffic sign, the normal line of the sign board surface should be parallel or at an angle to the centerline of the highway. Ban signs and indication signs installed on the road side are 0 ° to 45 °, and road signs and warning signs are 0 ° to 10 °. When installing a cantilever, mast, or attached overhanging sign, the installation angle of the sign should be perpendicular to the centerline of the road or tilted 0 ° to 10 ° forward.

Traffic sign design principles

(1) The relationship between colors, text, arrows, numbers, graphics and borders should be properly handled to make the layout of the logo clear and beautiful;
(2) The same type of traffic signs should use the same type of sign layout;
(3) Each traffic sign board of a gantry traffic sign should have a uniform height and uniform frame specifications.

Main types of traffic signs

The support methods of traffic signs can be divided into four types: column type, cantilever type, mast type, and attachment type.
Support methods for traffic signs should be based on traffic volume, vehicle composition, number of lanes, distribution of structures along the line,
Support method
Factors such as wind load and roadside conditions are determined comprehensively.
(1) Warning, prohibition, instruction signs and small-sized guide signs should adopt single-pillar support, and medium and large guide signs can adopt double-pillar or multi-pillar support.
(2) When the following conditions are met, a cantilevered or gantry type can be used as needed (if the layout is small, the cantilever type should be used):
When the traffic volume reaches or approaches the designed capacity;
When the design of the interchange is very complicated;
When there are three or more lanes in one direction;
When the inter-dimensional three-dimensional cross spacing is relatively close;
When the exit is a multi-lane;
When the proportion of large vehicles is large;
When crossing multiple inter-dimensional three-dimensional intersections, to maintain the consistency of the position of the sign information;
When the installation space on the road side is insufficient or blocked;
When the hub connecting two highways interworks;
When the exit ramp is the left exit;
A plane intersection sign or an exit notice sign located at the beginning of an interchange three-dimensional intersection deceleration lane.
(3) When structures such as overpasses are set up along the highway, and high retaining walls, lighting poles, etc. are set on the side of the road, the traffic signs can adopt the attached support method on the premise of meeting the requirements of the highway building.

Technical standards for traffic signs

The colors, shapes, and graphic symbols used for traffic signs should comply with the current provisions of Road Traffic Signs and Markings (GB5768).

Traffic sign arrow regulations

The arrows used on the guidance signs should reflect the vehicle's correct driving direction at an angle.
(1) The arrow of the gantry sign or the attached sign on the flyover bridge is used to indicate the use of the lane or the destination of the drive. The arrow should point down and point to the centerline of the lane; when used to indicate the direction of the exit, The arrow should be inclined upward, and the angle of inclination should reflect the line shape of the exit lane.
(2) Directional signs installed on the side of the road, the arrow indicating the straight direction should point upwards, and the arrow indicating the direction of steering should be consistent with the line shape of the turning lane. When there are three arrows pointing up, left, and right, the arrow pointing to the right should be placed on the far right, and the arrow pointing up and to the left should be placed on the far left.
(3) The arrow can be placed below the main logo text, or an appropriate part on one side of the text.

Traffic sign text regulations

Guiding signs for highways shall use Chinese characters, and may be used in combination with other characters as required. When the sign is in both Chinese and English, the place name shall be Pinyin and the proper noun shall be English. Abbreviations may be used in some English when the layout specifications are limited.

Traffic sign size regulations

The board size of warnings, bans, and signs, and the text height of the guide signs should be determined by the design speed of the highway. The board size of the guide signs should also take into account factors such as the number of characters, graphic symbols, other text and layout , The relationship between other characters and the height of Chinese characters, the place should be placed on the far left, place names from near to far, from top to bottom. If several independent sign boards are grouped together, the boards should be the same length. Of the place and direction signs, the straight sign should be set at the top, and below it are points that can be reached left and right.
When the difference between the running speed and the design speed of the road section is greater than 20} n / h, the layout specification and visibility of the traffic sign should be tested according to the running speed.

Traffic Sign Effective Function

The setting of traffic signs should take into account the characteristics of human behavior. The role of human behavior in traffic engineering and road safety is mainly manifested in three aspects: visual information, information needs, and information processing.
Visual information
It is estimated that 90% of the information required by the driver when driving the vehicle is visual information. Human visual characteristics, such as the depth and width of the field of vision, eye movement, color recognition, the effects of brightness and glare, and speed judgment, are the basic considerations for setting traffic signs.
Message requirement
For road users, almost all information is received through visual transmission. Therefore, when setting a traffic sign, attention should be paid to its distinctiveness, comprehensibility, credibility and positioning.
Information processing
The driver's driving tasks include obtaining information, processing information, choosing an action plan, implementing an action plan, and repeating this
Process to observe the results of the decision.
This process is complicated by the limitations of human behavior and the relationship between the driver, the vehicle, and the highway environment. When setting up traffic signs, the driver's expected value, response time, and short-term memory should also be considered. Only by fully considering the behavior characteristics of road users, the setting of traffic signs can be effective.
The "road users unfamiliar with the surrounding road network system" referred to in this article does not mean that the road users have no knowledge of the surrounding circle, but means that the destinations and routes passed through the map have been changed by other means. Understand, then the cost of the traffic signs guides you to your destination.
Related Production
pattern
Traffic signs must be scaled up in strict accordance with the patterns specified in this standard, and the patterns must not be arbitrarily modified.
parameter
The shape, size, pattern and text of traffic signs shall comply with the provisions of this standard. The production of sign boards shall comply with the relevant provisions of JT / T 279.
Detection
The traffic signs produced by manufacturers need to be tested by the national metrological certification unit holding the CMA mark.

Traffic sign effect

(1) Conducive to regulating traffic flow, diverting traffic and improving road capacity
(2) Predict road conditions and reduce traffic accidents
(3) Save energy and reduce pollutants

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