Traffic laws govern and regulate traffic, while rules of the road include
traffic laws and informal rules that may have developed over time to
facilitate the orderly and timely flow of traffic.[1] Organized traffic generally
has well-established priorities, lanes, right-of-way, and traffic control
at intersections. (International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at
Sea govern the oceans and influence some laws for navigating domestic
waters.)
Traffic is formally organized in many jurisdictions, with
marked lanes, junctions, intersections, interchanges, traffic signals, cones,
or signs. Traffic is often classified by type: heavy motor
vehicle (e.g., car, truck), other vehicle (e.g., moped, bicycle),
and pedestrian. Different classes may share speed limits and easement,
or may be segregated. Some jurisdictions may have very detailed and
complex rules of the road while others rely more on drivers' common
sense and willingness to cooperate.
Organization typically produces a better combination of travel safety and
efficiency. Events which disrupt the flow and may cause traffic to
degenerate into a disorganized mess include road construction, collisions,
and debris in the roadway. On particularly busy freeways, a minor
disruption may persist in a phenomenon known as traffic waves. A
complete breakdown of organization may result in traffic
congestion and gridlock. Simulations of organized traffic frequently
involve queuing theory, stochastic processes and equations
of mathematical physics applied to traffic flow.
Etymology and types
Congestion in St. Louis, Missouri, early 20th
century
The word traffic originally meant "trade" (as it still does) and comes from
the Old Italian verb trafficare and noun traffico, as well as the Middle
French trafique[2]. The origin of the Italian words is unclear. Suggestions
include Catalan trafegar "decant",[3] an assumed Vulgar
Latin verb transfricare 'rub across',[4] an assumed Vulgar Latin combination
of trans- and facere 'make or do',[4][5] Arabic tafriq 'distribution',[4] and
Arabic taraffaqa, which can mean 'seek profit'.[5] Broadly, the term covers
many kinds of traffic including network traffic, air traffic, marine traffic
and rail traffic, but it is often used narrowly to mean only road traffic.
Rules of the road
Traffic controller on Michigan Avenue in
Chicago, Illinois Traffic control in Rome, Italy.
This traffic control podium can retract back to road level when not in use.
Rules of the road and driving etiquette are the general practices and
procedures that road users are required to follow. These rules usually
apply to all road users, though they are of special importance
to motorists and cyclists. These rules govern interactions between
vehicles and pedestrians. The basic traffic rules are defined by an
international treaty under the authority of the United Nations, the
1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic. Not all countries are signatory to
the convention and, even among signatories, local variations in practice
may be found. There are also unwritten local rules of the road, which are
generally understood by local drivers.
As a general rule, drivers are expected to avoid a collision with another
vehicle and pedestrians, regardless of whether or not the applicable rules
of the road allow them to be where they happen to be. [6][7]
In addition to the rules applicable by default, traffic signs and traffic
lights must be obeyed, and instructions may be given by a police officer,
either routinely (on a busy crossing instead of traffic lights) or as road
traffic control around a construction zone, accident, or other road
disruption.
Directionality
Main articles: Bidirectional traffic and left- and right-hand traffic
Traffic heading in inverse ways ought to be isolated so as to not hinder
each other's way. The most essential guideline is whether to utilize the left
or right half of the street.
Traffic regulations
See also: Category:Rules of the road
In many countries, the rules of the road are codified, setting out the legal
requirements and punishments for breaking them.
In the United Kingdom, the rules are set out in the Highway Code, which
includes not only obligations but also advice on how to drive sensibly and
safely.
In the United States, traffic laws are regulated by the states and
municipalities through their respective traffic codes. Most of these are
based at least in part on the Uniform Vehicle Code, but there are
variations from state to state. In states such as Florida, traffic
law and criminal law are separate; therefore, unless someone flees the
scene of an accident or commits vehicular homicide or manslaughter,
they are only guilty of a minor traffic offense. However, states such
as South Carolina have completely criminalised their traffic law, so, for
example, one is guilty of a misdemeanor simply for travelling 5 miles over
the speed limit.
Trail ethics (right of way)
Trail ethics are a set of informal rules for right of way for users of trails,
including hikers, mountaineers, equestrians, cyclists, and mountain bikers.
Organised traffic
Passage priority (right of way)
See also: Priority signs
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Vehicles often come into conflict with other vehicles and pedestrians
because their intended courses of travel intersect, and thus interfere with
each other's routes. The general principle that establishes who has the
right to go first is called "right of way" or "priority". It establishes who has
the right to use the conflicting part of the road and who has to wait until
the other does so.
Yield sign in Switzerland. Mandatory
direction to military traffic.
Signs, signals, markings and other features are often used to make priority
explicit. Some signs, such as the stop sign, are nearly universal. When
there are no signs or markings, different rules are observed depending on
the location. These default priority rules differ between countries, and
may even vary within countries. Trends toward uniformity are exemplified
at an international level by the Vienna Convention on Road Signs and
Signals, which prescribes standardised traffic control devices (signs,
signals, and markings) for establishing the right of way where necessary.
Crosswalks (or pedestrian crossings) are common in populated areas, and
may indicate that pedestrians have priority over vehicular traffic. In m