Comparison of MUTCD-influenced traffic signs

Road signs used by countries in the Americas are significantly influenced by the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), first released in 1935, reflecting the influence of the United States throughout the region.^[1] Other non-American countries using road signs similar to the MUTCD include Australia, Indonesia, Ireland, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, and Thailand. They, along with the US Virgin Islands, are also the only countries listed here which drive on the left—with the exception of Liberia and the Philippines (though partial), both of which drive on the right.

There are also a number of American signatories to the Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Ecuador, French Guiana, Paraguay, and Suriname. Of those, only Chile, Cuba, and French Guiana have ratified the treaty.

Mandatory action signs in the Americas tend to be influenced by both systems. Nearly all countries in the Americas use yellow diamond warning signs. Recognizing the differences in standards across Europe and the Americas, the Vienna convention considers these types of signs an acceptable alternative to the triangular warning sign.^[2] However, UN compliant signs must make use of more pictograms in contrast to more text based US variants. Indeed, most American nations make use of more symbols than allowed in the US MUTCD.

Unlike in Europe, considerable variation within road sign designs can exist within nations, especially in multilingual areas.

Differences between MUTCD-influenced traffic signs

The main differences between traffic signs influenced by the MUTCD relate to:

• Graphic design and symbological details
• The use of square-bordered or circular regulatory signs
• Local languages (signs may be bilingual or trilingual)
  • Most notable is the text on stop signs. Unlike in Europe, the text on stop signs in the Americas varies depending on language, and may be multilingual.

Languages

Below is a table of the main languages used. (In non-English speaking countries, English is frequently included on signs near airports and tourist areas.)

					Canada
	Argentina	Australia	Brazil	Cambodia	Anglophone Canada	Quebec	Chile	China	Colombia	Ecuador	Indonesia	Ireland	Jamaica	Japan	Liberia	Malaysia	Mexico	New Zealand	Panama	Peru	Philippines	South Korea	Taiwan	Thailand	United States	Uruguay	Vietnam
Drives on the…	Right	Left	Right								Left				Right	Left	Right	Left	Right					Left	Right
Primary language	Spanish	English	Portuguese	Khmer	English	French	Spanish	Chinese	Spanish	Spanish	Indonesian	Irish and English[3]	English	Japanese	English	Malay	Spanish	English	Spanish		English	Korean	Chinese	Thai	English	Spanish	Vietnamese
Secondary language(s)				English	French Alongside English in New Brunswick and other Francophone regions,[4] as well as on federally administered land. Indigenous languages On Indian reserves and some majority-Native-inhabited lands.	Indigenous languages On Indian reserves and some majority-Native-inhabited lands. English Rare; used in Anglophone regions e.g. Montreal West and Nunavik.		English			Indigenous languagaes Rare; used on guide signs around popular tourist areas. English On guide signs around popular tourist areas.			English Especially on guide signs.				Māori Used for bilingual place names, as defined by the New Zealand Geographic Board.[5]			Filipino	English	English	English	Indigenous languages On some native reservations. Spanish In Puerto Rico.
Typical typeface(s)	FHWA (modified)	FHWA	FHWA (modified)	Helvetica (English)	Clearview, FHWA (varies by province)	FHWA, Clearview (different fonts specified for different signs)	Ruta CL, formerly FHWA	FHWA, Helvetica (English)	FHWA (modified)	FHWA (modified)	Clearview, formerly FHWA	Transport	FHWA	Hiragino (Japanese) & Vialog (English), formerly Helvetica (English)	Clearview, formerly FHWA	LLM (for expressways) & Transport (for federal & state highways), formerly FHWA	Tipografía México, formerly FHWA	FHWA	Helvetica	FHWA (modified)	Clearview, formerly FHWA (still used on expressway sections)	Panno, formerly Helvetica (English)	FHWA, Arial (English)	FHWA (English)	FHWA, Clearview (varies by state)	Helvetica	DIN 1451 (modified)

Differences in units

• All countries, with the exception of the United States and the United Kingdom, use the metric system. Some countries mark this fact by using units on various signs.
  • Brazil, Indonesia, Ireland, Mexico, Panama, Peru, and parts of Canada (British Columbia, parts of Ontario, and Yukon) list units (km/h) on their maximum speed limit.
  • In Canada and Ireland, this is a reflection of a (somewhat) recent transition from imperial to metric, which first took effect in Canada, starting on 1 April 1971, but its speed limit conversion didn't take full effect until September 1977.^[6] Meanwhile, in Ireland, its recent speed limit transition from miles per hour to kilometres per hour didn't take effect until 20 January 2005, although distance road signs had already been labelled in metric since the 1970s.^[7]
  • The US territory of Puerto Rico uses a mix – speed limits are in mph but distance signs are marked in km.
  • Advisory speed limit signs in most countries list units, although New Zealand does not. The US lists units in mph.
  • Height, weight, and width restrictions are almost always accompanied by units (tonnes or metres); in the US, the short ton is used with no distinction from metric tonnes.
  • Signs in some parts of Canada and Mexico near the US border often include both metric and Imperial units, to remind US drivers that they are entering metric countries. In Canada, these signs display the imperial speed limit using a Canadian-style sign, rather than an MUTCD-standard used in the US.^[8] No such equivalent exists in the US.^{[citation needed]}
• The US was, at one time, planning a transition to the metric system. The Metric Conversion Act of 1975 started the process, but it was halted in 1982. The MUTCD has guidelines for posting metric versions of speed limit signs on roads.
• The SI standard unit of speed, meter per second, is not used on road signs anywhere in the world. All countries that use the metric system measure speeds in kilometers per hour.

Color differences

Warning signs

• Nearly all MUTCD-influenced warning signs are diamond-shaped and yellow; some warning signs may be fluorescent yellow-green to draw extra attention. There are a few exceptions to this:
  • Pentagonal signs are used in school zones in the United States, Liberia, Mexico, Malaysia and many areas in Canada. In Japan and the Philippines, pentagonal signs are permanently used for pedestrian crossings.
  • Argentina employs European-style red-bordered triangular warning signs in certain instances where extra attention is required. The Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam uses this style for most warning signs, though some highways like the Subic–Clark–Tarlac Expressway and the Manila–Cavite Expressway use MUTCD-style yellow diamond-shaped warning signs.
• Warning signs may be text-only.

Road works and construction

• Most countries use orange diamond-shaped signs for construction zones. Australia, Cambodia, the Philippines, and sometimes Canada instead use rectangular signs that fit into temporary casings. Warnings for construction zones, however, are not marked at all in Japan and are always yellow.
• In the USA, Canada, Australia, Thailand, Taiwan, and the Philippines the temporary Road Closed sign is instead always a rectangular sign that can either be used as a standalone or fit into a temporary casing.

Regulatory signs

• Prohibitory and restrictive signs are classified as regulatory signs, as per the MUTCD.
• Almost all prohibitory signs use a red circle with a slash. Restrictive signs typically use a red circle, as in Europe. Some may be seated on a rectangular white background.
  • The original MUTCD prohibitory and restrictive signs were text-only (i.e. NO LEFT TURN).^[9] Some of these signs continue to be used in the US.
• The No Entry / Do Not Enter sign may or may not feature text. In some Latin American countries, an upwards-pointing arrow contained within a slashed red circle is used instead. Some countries have those two signs separated.
  • The Latin American-style 'do not proceed straight' sign may take a different meaning in countries with standard No Entry / Do Not Enter signs. Typically, it indicates an intersection where traffic cannot continue straight ahead (often involving a one-way street to be exact), but where cross-traffic may enter the street from the right (or left). Thus, it is distinguished from a No Entry / Do Not Enter (for all vehicles) sign.

Mandatory or permitted-action signs

• The design of mandatory signs varies widely, since the MUTCD does not specify their use.^[1] Rather, the MUTCD's equivalent are classified as regulatory signs.
  • Some countries use simple arrows with the text "ONLY" or its equivalent underneath. This is the MUTCD standard.
  • Some countries use European-style white-on-blue circular signs. These are "Type A Mandatory Signs" as prescribed by the Vienna Convention.
  • Some Latin American countries (and formerly Thailand) use red-bordered circular signs, in the same style as regulatory signs. These are "Type B Mandatory Signs" as prescribed by the Vienna Convention. In cases relating to particular types of vehicle traffic (e.g. buses), these signs are identical to some European prohibitory signs.^[a]
  • Canada uses a unique style of mandatory sign that features a green circle.

Highway and wayfinding signs

• Most countries use white-on-green signs on highways and to indicate location, etc.
  • The exact style of these signs varies widely, although many are influenced by the MUTCD standard.
  • Chile, Ireland, Japan, and New Zealand use both white-on-green and white-on-blue guide signs, as does the Northwest Territories and Ontario in Canada. Parts of Australia use yellow-on-blue guide signs for certain road classes.
  • Malaysia uses both black-on-yellow and white-on-green guide signs.
  • White-on-blue signs are sometimes used at airports and for rest areas.
  • White-on-brown signs are sometimes used to indicate park areas.

Gallery of guide signs

• 
  Argentina
• 
  Australia (Queensland)
• 
  Brazil (São Paulo)
• 
  Cambodia
• 
  Canada (British Columbia)
• 
  Canada (Ontario)
• 
  Canada (Ontario) Hwy Toll Blue Signage
• 
  Canada (Quebec)
• 
  Chile
• 
  China
• 
  Colombia
• 
  Ecuador
• 
  Indonesia
• 
  Ireland
• 
  Japan
• 
  Malaysia
• 
  Mexico (Veracruz)
• 
  New Zealand
• 
  Panama
• 
  Peru
• 
  Philippines
• 
  South Korea
• 
  Taiwan
• 
  Thailand
• 
  United States (New Jersey)
• 
  Vietnam

Table of traffic signs comparison

Warning

	Argentina	Australia	Brazil	Cambodia	Canada	Canada - British Columbia	Canada - Ontario	Canada - Quebec	Chile	China	Colombia	Ecuador	Indonesia	Ireland	Jamaica	Japan	Liberia	Malaysia	Mexico	New Zealand	Panama	Peru	Philippines	South Korea	Taiwan	Thailand	United States	Uruguay	Vietnam
Stop sign ahead										?			?			Not used								?	?				?
Yield / Give Way sign ahead			Not used							?			?			Not used								?	?			?
Traffic signals ahead
Roundabout ahead																											[b]
Two-way traffic ahead
Uncontrolled railroad crossing ahead
Level railroad crossing with barriers ahead	[c]				[c]	[c]	[c]	[c]						or	[c]	[c]			[c]		or			[c]
Tram / streetcar crossing				N/A [d]	Not used	Not used	Not used	N/A [d]	N/A [d]	Not used	N/A [d]	[e]	Not used		N/A [d]		N/A [d]	Not used	N/A [d]		Not used	N/A [d]	N/A [d]			Not used	[f]
Railroad crossbuck		or												Not used						or			or
Level crossing (multiple tracks)		or										?		Not used	?	Not used		Not used	Not used	or	Not used		Not used	?		?		Not used
	Argentina	Australia	Brazil	Cambodia	Canada	Canada (British Columbia)	Canada (Ontario)	Canada (Quebec)	Chile	China	Colombia	Ecuador	Indonesia	Ireland	Jamaica	Japan	Liberia	Malaysia	Mexico	New Zealand	Panama	Peru	Philippines	South Korea	Taiwan	Thailand	United States	Uruguay	Vietnam
Crossroads ahead
Junction with a side road ahead
Traffic merges ahead				?	or										?
Staggered crossroads ahead	?				?		?	?		?					?	?			?	?		?		?	?
Added lane	?		?	?			?		?	?	?		Not used	Not used[g]	?	?	?	?	?		?	?	?	?	?		?	?
Divided highway ahead									?	?						Not used				?					?
Divided highway ends									?	?						Not used				?					?
Lane ends ahead
Road narrows ahead																											or [h]
Narrow bridge ahead				?										Not used		Not used								?
Dangerous crosswinds							?														?	?	Not used			?	[i]
Low-flying aircraft							?			?	?					Not used		?	?
Steep hill downwards																							and
Steep hill upwards							Not used	[j]											Not used			Not used	and
	Argentina	Australia	Brazil	Cambodia	Canada	Canada (British Columbia)	Canada (Ontario)	Canada (Quebec)	Chile	China	Colombia	Ecuador	Indonesia	Ireland	Jamaica	Japan	Liberia	Malaysia	Mexico	New Zealand	Panama	Peru	Philippines	South Korea	Taiwan	Thailand	United States	Uruguay	Vietnam
Uneven surface
Bump in road																	or [10]
Dip in road				?			?	[k]								Not used		Not used	?				?	?					?
Ford	?		?	?					?	?	?	?	?		or	?	?	?			?	?		?	?	?		?
Snow / ice	?		?	?	?	?	?	?	?		?	?	?		?	?		?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?		?	?
Fog	?	?	?	?	?		?		?		?	?		Not used	?	?			?	?	?	?	?	?		?		?	?
Slippery road surface
Loose road surface		[l]		or [l]	[l]		Not used	[l]		?				[l]		Not used		Not used					?	Not used	?
Dangerous shoulder	?	?	?	?	[l]	[l]		[l]		?		?			?	?		?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?		?
Pavement ends	?			?					?	?			?	Not used	?	Not used	?	Not used					?	?	?	?			?
Gentle curve ahead										?														?
Sharp curve ahead															?										?				?
Double gentle curve ahead				?		?				?				Not used	?		?	?						?	?				?
Double sharp curve ahead
Series of curves ahead															?		?							?	?				?
Hairpin curve ahead	?		Not used	Not used	Not used					?			?	Not used [m]	?	Not used	?	Not used	?		?			?	?				?
Loop curve ahead	?		?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?				?	?	?		?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?		?	?
Chevron (short turn)			?						?			?	?		?	?	?		?		?			?				?
Chevron (sharp turn)			?						?		?	?	?		?	?	?	?	?		?	?		?				?	?
	Argentina	Australia	Brazil	Cambodia	Canada	Canada (British Columbia)	Canada (Ontario)	Canada (Quebec)	Chile	China	Colombia	Ecuador	Indonesia	Ireland	Jamaica	Japan	Liberia	Malaysia	Mexico	New Zealand	Panama	Peru	Philippines	South Korea	Taiwan	Thailand	United States	Uruguay	Vietnam
School zone
Children / playground ahead					or	or		or							or
Pedestrian crossing ahead							or									Not used				or
Pedestrian crossing							or							or			[13] or [14]		?			Not used			?
Disabled / elderly pedestrian crossing	?	?	?			?		or	?		?	?		Not used	?	?	?	or or	?		?	?		?		?		?	?
Cyclists crossing					or													?								?
Falling rocks or debris																											or [n]
	Argentina	Australia	Brazil	Cambodia	Canada	Canada (British Columbia)	Canada (Ontario)	Canada (Quebec)	Chile	China	Colombia	Ecuador	Indonesia	Ireland	Jamaica	Japan	Liberia	Malaysia	Mexico	New Zealand	Panama	Peru	Philippines	South Korea	Taiwan	Thailand	United States	Uruguay	Vietnam
Opening or swing bridge				Not used					?	?	?	?				Not used				?		?		?	?
Quay or riverbank	?	?	?		?	?	?	?			?					?		?	?	?	?	?	?			?	Not used	?	or
Emergency vehicles			Not used	Not used					?	?			Not used	Not used	?	Not used		Not used	Not used		Not used		Not used	?	?	Not used		?	?
Farm vehicles				Not used	or					?			Not used		?	Not used		Not used		?			Not used	?	?	Not used	or		?
Domesticated animals																Not used								?
Wild animals												?			?				?			?	Not used		?	?
Equestrians			Not used	Not used					?	?	?	?	?		?	Not used		?	?		?	?	Not used	?	?	Not used			?
Tunnel ahead		?	Not used	Not used			?						Not used			Not used					?		?			?		?
Height restriction ahead				Not used						?					?	Not used	?	Not used			?			?	?				?
Width restriction ahead		Not used		Not used	Not used		Not used	[l]		?					?	Not used	?	Not used		Not used				?	?		Not used		?
Length restriction ahead	?	?		?	?	?	?	?		?	?		?		?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?		?	?	?	Not used	?	?
Weight restriction ahead	?	Not used		Not used	Not used					?			?		?	Not used	?	Not used	?	Not used	?	?		?	?	Not used		?	?
Roadworks [l]	?			or															?				Not used
Flagman ahead [l]	?		?	?						?					?	?	?		?		?	?	?	?	?	?		?	?
Traffic congestion	?		?	?	?		?		?		?	Not used	Not used		?	?		?	?		?	?	?		?	?		?
Other danger		?	?		Not used	Not used	Not used	Not used			?	Not used							?				?				Not used	?
	Argentina	Australia	Brazil	Cambodia	Canada	Canada (British Columbia)	Canada (Ontario)	Canada (Quebec)	Chile	China	Colombia	Ecuador	Indonesia	Ireland	Jamaica	Japan	Liberia	Malaysia	Mexico	New Zealand	Panama	Peru	Philippines	South Korea	Taiwan	Thailand	United States	Uruguay	Vietnam