INTERNATIONAL EFFORT TOWARD UNIFORMITY ON ROAD SIGNS, SIGNALS AND MARKINGS

FINDINGS OF SEVERAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES ARE DISCUSSED WHICH WERE HELD TO LAY THE FOUNDATIONS FOR A WORLD SYSTEM OF TRAFFIC SIGNS. THE TWO SYSTEMS THAT ARE MOST WIDELY USED AND WERE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION BY THE 1968 VIENNA CONFERENCE ON ROAD TRAFFIC ARE DISCUSSED. THE CONFIGURATION AND COLORS ARE SPECIFICALLY DISCUSSED OF WARNING SIGNS, REGULATORY SIGNS, GUIDE AND INFORMATIVE SIGNS, CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE SIGNS, ROAD MARKINGS AND ROAD SIGNALS. THERE HAS BEEN A GREAT EFFORT ON THE PART OF THE UNITED NATIONAL AND THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES TO BRING ABOUT A SOLUTION TO THE LACK OF UNIFORMITY IN ROAD SIGNING THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. CONCLUSIONS ARE PRESENTED IN THE 1968 DRAFT CONVENTION, WHICH MAY NOT NECESSARILY BE ACCEPTABLE TO EVERYBODY, AND FROM THE VIEWPOINT OF A DEVELOPING NATION MAY TEND TO CONFUSE RATHER THAN CLARIFY THE PROBLEMS INVOLVED. UNLESS MORE COMPROMISE AVOIDS THE PROLIFERATION OF DIFFERENCES AMONG SYSTEMS, THE TIME AND OPPORTUNITY TO ACHIEVE INTERNATIONAL UNIFORMITY ON ROAD SIGNS AND SIGNALS WILL BE LOST.