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
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
^Directional signs that are mounted overhead on multi-lane primary roads are white on blue.
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
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.
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.
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.
Denmark
Faroe Islands
Finland
Greenland
Iceland
Norway
Sweden
Åland
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
Denmark
Finland
Iceland
Norway
Sweden
Pedestrian crossing ahead
Pedestrians
Children
Cyclists
Domestic animals
Wild animals
Road narrows
Uneven surface
Bump
Dip
Denmark
Faroe Islands
Finland
Greenland
Iceland
Norway
Sweden
Åland
Slippery surface
Loose surface material
Soft verges
Ice or snow
Fog
Falling rocks
Crosswinds
Unprotected quayside or riverbank
Opening bridge
Tunnel
Denmark
Finland
Iceland
Norway
Sweden
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
Denmark
Faroe Islands
Finland
Greenland
Iceland
Norway
Sweden
Åland
Prohibitory
Denmark
Faroe Islands
Finland
Greenland
Iceland
Norway
Sweden
Åland
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
Denmark
Faroe Islands
Finland
Greenland
Iceland
Norway
Sweden
Åland
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
Denmark
Faroe Islands
Finland
Greenland
Iceland
Norway
Sweden
Åland
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 noise
NOTUSED
Denmark
Faroe Islands
Finland
Greenland
Iceland
Norway
Sweden
Åland
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
Denmark
Faroe Islands
Finland
Greenland
Iceland
Norway
Sweden
Åland
Mandatory
Denmark
Faroe Islands
Finland
Greenland
Iceland
Norway
Sweden
Åland
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
Denmark
Faroe Islands
Finland
Greenland
Iceland
Norway
Sweden
Åland
Footpath (pedestrians only)
Cycle path (pedal cycles only)
Shared pedestrian and cycle path
Segregated pedestrian and cycle path
Bridle path
Denmark
Finland
Iceland
Norway
Sweden
Special regulations
Denmark
Faroe Islands
Finland
Greenland
Iceland
Norway
Sweden
Åland
One-way street
NOTUSED
Bump
NOTUSED
Pedestrian crossing
or
Cyclist crossing
Living street
Pedestrian zone
Bus lane
Tunnel
NOTUSED
Expressway
Motorway
Denmark
Faroe Islands
Finland
Greenland
Iceland
Norway
Sweden
Åland
Indication
Denmark
Faroe Islands
Finland
Greenland
Iceland
Norway
Sweden
Åland
No through road
or
Hospital
NOTUSED
First aid
Bus stop
local orregional
Taxi stand
or
or
Parking
Parking garage
Lane configuration
Escape lane
NOTUSED
Emergency lay-by
Denmark
Finland
Iceland
Norway
Sweden
Advisory speed
National border
National speed limits
Denmark
Faroe Islands
Finland
Greenland
Iceland
Norway
Sweden
Åland
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]
Denmark
Faroe Islands
Finland
Greenland
Iceland
Norway
Sweden
Åland
Entrance to built up area
Leaving built up area
Entrance to locality
NOT USED
NOT USED
Leaving locality
NOT USED
NOT USED
NOT USED
NOT USED
NOTUSED
Denmark
Faroe Islands
Finland
Greenland
Iceland
Norway
Sweden
Åland
Checkpoints
Denmark
Faroe Islands
Finland
Greenland
Iceland
Norway
Sweden
Åland
Customs
NOT USED
NOT USED
or or or
Customs is written under the line in a suitable language
European Standard for Traffic Signs - EN 12899-1:2001 Fixed, Vertical Road Traffic Signs – Part 1: Fixed Signs, Requirements
References
^Österman, Tuomas; Miettinen, Saija; Ronkainen, Kaisa (2005).
"Opastusmerkkien luettavuus" [Readability of guidance signs] (PDF) (in Finnish).
Helsinki: Tiehallinto. Archived from
the original(PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 31 July 2011.