SADC Road Traffic Signs Manual
The Southern African Development Community Road Traffic Signs Manual (abbreviated SADC RTSM) is a technical standard for uniform traffic signs and signals across Southern Africa. It was commissioned by the South African Department of Transport on behalf of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), an intergovernmental council for regional integration. It has been adopted by most of the SADC member states that are not parties to the Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals. The third edition is the most recent, published in May 2012.
History
The SADC RTSM is based on two earlier traffic manuals. In 1990, the Southern African Transport and Communications Commission released the SATCC Road Traffic Signs Manual loosely based on European signposting norms. In 1993, the South African Department of Transport released its own South African Road Traffic Signs Manual. Although both standards had been loosely based on European signposting norms, the South African standard contained many more sign types.[1] Under the Protocol on Transport, Communications and Meteorology 1996, SADC member states agreed to cooperate on a harmonized system of minimum standards for traffic signs, signals, and markings; rules of the road; design speeds; and driving signals and hours. The protocol also encouraged member states to consider accession to the Geneva Convention on Road Traffic and Vienna Convention on Road Traffic.[2]
The first edition of the SADC RTSM was published in 1998 and approved by the SATCC Committee on Roads, Road Transport and Road Traffic in March of the following year.[3] A third edition was published in 2012.
Contents
The manual reconciles the SATCC and South African manuals, minimizing the text-heavy signs of Portuguese-speaking countries in favor of South Africa's symbol-heavy signs. However, it retains alternatives for many provisions due to differing rules of the road and established signal configurations that would be costly to change.[1]
See also
- SADC Regional Trunk Road Network
- Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals
- Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions
- Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices
References
- ^ a b TTT Africa 2012, preface.
- ^ Protocol on Transport, Communications and Meteorology in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Region (PDF). Maseru: Southern African Development Community. August 24, 1996. p. 6/5.
- ^ TTT Africa 2012, inside front cover.
Further reading
- TTT Africa (May 2012). Southern African Development Community Road Traffic Signs Manual (PDF) (3rd ed.). Pretoria: Department of Transport. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
External links
- Full text from the Department of Transport:
- Introduction
- Volume 1: Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7, Chapter 8, Chapter 9, Chapter 10, Chapter 11
- Volume 2: Cover, Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7, Chapter 8, Chapter 9, Chapter 10, Chapter 11, Chapter 12, Chapter 13, Chapter 14, Chapter 15, Chapter 16, Chapter 17, Chapter 18, Chapter 19
- Volume 3: Cover and introduction, Part 1A, Part 1B, Part 2, Part 3, Appendices
- Volume 4: Introduction, Chapter 1, Chapter 2 Part A, Chapter 2 Part B, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7 Part A, Chapter 7 Part B, Chapter 8, Chapter 9, Chapter 10, Chapter 11 Part A, Chapter 11 Part B, Chapter 12, Chapter 13, Chapter 14, Chapter 15
- Full text from the South African Road Traffic Safety Management Association