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Road signs

Nordic traffic signs present relevant differences between countries despite an apparent uniformity and standardisation. Most Nordic countries refer to the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals, and it has been adopted by Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Norway and Sweden. The convention has not been adopted by Iceland.

Differences between European traffic signs

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The main differences relate to

  • graphic design details
  • local regulatory significance
  • the colour-coding of directional signs
  • local language texts (sometimes bilingual)
  • the meaning and colour-coding of horizontal road surface markings

Graphic differences

  • The design of individual pictograms (tunnel, pedestrian, car, etc.), while broadly similar, often varies in detail from country to country.
  • Type of arrows may be different.
  • Fonts of written words

Differences in directional and informatory signage

CountryMotorways

(Controlled-access highway)

Expressways

(Limited-access road)

Primary roadsSecondary roadsRegional destinationsLocal destinationsTourist signsTemporary Detour
outside urban area
DenmarkAarhusN/ASkanderborg[c 1]N/AStadionHimmelbjergetNakskov
Faroe Islands
FinlandHELSINKI
HELSINGFORS
LAPPEENRANTAPORVOO
BORGÅ
N/AKYMINLINNAKirjastoHiidenkiviTURKU
Greenland
Iceland
NorwayNannestadLillestrømTrondheimN/ASykehusKvitsand
SwedenGÖTEBORGSTOCKHOLMFALUNN/ANORRMALMVårdcentralLånge Erik
Ålandn/an/aLÅNGNÄSn/aKLINTENCentralsjukhusetBomarsundKATTBY

Differences in meanings

  • Sometimes similar signs have minor differences in meanings, following the local traffic codes.[citation needed]
  • All European countries use the metric system (distances in kilometres or metres; speeds in kilometres per hour; heights, widths and lengths in metres; weights in tonnes) with the exception of the United Kingdom, where distances and speeds are still indicated in imperial measurements (miles or yards and miles per hour). Since 2016, on width and height limit signs both metric and imperial measurements are used (metres and feet & inches), however older signs still show imperial measurements only. Since 2011, weight limit signs use a lower case "t" to denote tonnes, although some older signs still incorrectly use an upper case "T", despite the United Kingdom having switched from the long ton to the metric tonne in 1981.

Horizontal road surface markings

  • Longitudinal lines (lanes and margins) and symbols on the carriageway are always white (but in Norway a yellow line separates two-way traffic).
  • A stop line is always represented by a white thick traversal continuous line, but a give way line may be represented by a white thick dashed line as rectangles (Germany, France, Spain) or by a double-dashed line (United Kingdom) or by the combination of a single solid line and a single dashed line (Ireland) or by a white line of triangles (Austria, Italy, Liechtenstein, the Netherlands, Norway, and Switzerland)

Different typefaces in texts

A sign with the use of Transport font in Icelandic
  • Denmark uses the Dansk Vejtavleskrift typeface. The typeface is derived from the British Transport typeface.
  • Finland uses a typeface developed in the 1960s by the former national board of roads and waterways.[1]
  • Iceland uses a version of the Transport typeface employed on road signs in the UK – modified to include accented characters and the Icelandic letters ð (eth) and þ (thorn) – is used on Icelandic road signs.
  • Norway uses the Trafikkalfabetet typeface.
  • Sweden uses the Tratex typeface.
  • Åland has not defined the typeface of the road signs in its traffic law.[2] Therefore they have signs with both Finnish and Swedish (Tratex) typeface.

In Finland, Sweden and Åland, destinations on direction signs are written in capital letters. In Danmark and Norway both capital and lowercase are used.

Table of traffic signs comparison

Priority


Denmark

Estonia

Faroe Islands

Finland

Greenland

Iceland

Norway

Sweden

Åland
Stop
Give way
Priority road
End of priority road
Give way to oncoming traffic
Priority over oncoming traffic
Stop ahead
Give way ahead
DenmarkEstoniaFinlandIcelandNorwaySweden

Warning

In Denmark and Norway, warning signs are mostly triangular, with black symbols on a white background with a red border. Finnish, Icelandic and Swedish signs have yellow backgrounds, rather than white. Yellow background is also used on warning signs that are used only temporarily in Norway. On Svalbard, a unique warning sign with a black background and white symbol is used for polar bears.

DenmarkFaroe IslandsFinlandGreenlandIcelandNorwaySwedenÅland
Curve
Series of curves
Crossroads with priority to the right
Crossroads with a minor road
Roundabout
Traffic signals
Two-way traffic
Traffic queues
Steep ascent
Steep descent
DenmarkFinlandIcelandNorwaySweden
Pedestrian crossing ahead
Pedestrians
Children
Cyclists
Domestic animals
Wild animals
Road narrows
Uneven surface
Bump
Dip
DenmarkFaroe IslandsFinlandGreenlandIcelandNorwaySwedenÅland
Slippery surface
Loose surface material
Soft verges
Ice or snow
Fog
Falling rocks
Crosswinds
Unprotected quayside or riverbank
Opening bridge
Tunnel
DenmarkFinlandIcelandNorwaySweden
Low-flying aircraft or or
Trams
Level crossing with barriers ahead
Level crossing without barriers ahead
Level crossing
Level crossing (multiple tracks)
Roadworks
Other danger
DenmarkFaroe IslandsFinlandGreenlandIcelandNorwaySwedenÅland

Prohibitory

DenmarkFaroe IslandsFinlandGreenlandIcelandNorwaySwedenÅland
No entry
No vehicles
No motor vehicles
No motor vehicles except motorcycles
No motorcycles
No mopeds
No pedal cycles
No heavy goods vehicles
No buses
No vehicles pulling a trailer
DenmarkFaroe IslandsFinlandGreenlandIcelandNorwaySwedenÅland
No agricultural vehicles
No animal-drawn vehicles
No vehicles carrying dangerous goods
No vehicles carrying water pollutants
No vehicles carrying inflammables or explosives
Height limit
Width limit
Length limit
Weight limit
Weight limit per axle or bogie or or or or or or
DenmarkFaroe IslandsFinlandGreenlandIcelandNorwaySwedenÅland
No stopping
No parking
Restricted parking zone
No overtaking
No overtaking by heavy goods vehicles
No right turn
No left turn
No U-turn
Minimum following distance between vehicles
No honking or excessive motor noiseNOTUSED
DenmarkFaroe IslandsFinlandGreenlandIcelandNorwaySwedenÅland
No pedestrians
Speed limit
End of speed limit
Speed limit zone or
End of speed limit zone
End of no overtaking
End of no overtaking by heavy goods vehicles
End of no honking
End of all previously signed restrictions
DenmarkFaroe IslandsFinlandGreenlandIcelandNorwaySwedenÅland

Mandatory

DenmarkFaroe IslandsFinlandGreenlandIcelandNorwaySwedenÅland
Go straight
Turn right
Go straight or turn right
Roundabout
Keep right / Keep left
May pass on either side
Route for vehicles carrying dangerous goods or
Minimum speed limit
End of minimum speed limit
DenmarkFaroe IslandsFinlandGreenlandIcelandNorwaySwedenÅland
Footpath (pedestrians only)
Cycle path (pedal cycles only)
Shared pedestrian and cycle path
Segregated pedestrian and cycle path
Bridle path
DenmarkFinlandIcelandNorwaySweden

Special regulations

DenmarkFaroe IslandsFinlandGreenlandIcelandNorwaySwedenÅland
One-way street NOTUSED
BumpNOTUSED
Pedestrian crossing
or
Cyclist crossing
Living street
Pedestrian zone
Bus lane
Tunnel NOTUSED
Expressway
Motorway
DenmarkFaroe IslandsFinlandGreenlandIcelandNorwaySwedenÅland

Indication

DenmarkFaroe IslandsFinlandGreenlandIcelandNorwaySwedenÅland
No through road or
Hospital NOTUSED
First aid
Bus stop local or regional
Taxi stand or or
Parking
Parking garage
Lane configuration
Escape laneNOTUSED
Emergency lay-by
DenmarkFinlandIcelandNorwaySweden
Advisory speed
National border
National speed limits
DenmarkFaroe IslandsFinlandGreenlandIcelandNorwaySwedenÅland

Built-up area limits

Under the Vienna Convention the begin and end built-up area signs imply a change between built-up area and rural traffic rules including speed limit. In many European Countries the dark background with light coloured text version of the sign is intended for information only.[3] Poland uses white text on a green background (E-17a/E18a) to show the political boundary of a place as information and uses the black on white pictogram version (D-42/D-43) to designate the change of traffic rules.[4]

DenmarkFaroe IslandsFinlandGreenlandIcelandNorwaySwedenÅland
Entrance to built up area
Leaving built up area
Entrance to localityNOT
USED
NOT
USED
Leaving localityNOT
USED
NOT
USED
NOT
USED
NOT
USED
NOTUSED
DenmarkFaroe IslandsFinlandGreenlandIcelandNorwaySwedenÅland

Checkpoints

DenmarkFaroe IslandsFinlandGreenlandIcelandNorwaySwedenÅland
CustomsNOT
USED
NOT
USED
or or or Customs is written under the line in a suitable language
PoliceNOT
USED
NOT
USED
NOT
USED
NOT
USED
TollNOT
USED
NOT
USED

or

or

(electronic toll collection)
NOTUSED
Other Control NOT
USED
NOT
USED
Same as "police" but with suitable text
DenmarkFaroe IslandsFinlandGreenlandIcelandNorwaySwedenÅland

See also

Notes


Sources

  • European Standard for Traffic Signs - EN 12899-1:2001 Fixed, Vertical Road Traffic Signs – Part 1: Fixed Signs, Requirements

References

SignsCategory:Traffic signsEuropean road signs