Prohibitory traffic sign

Prohibitory traffic signs are used to prohibit certain types of manoeuvres or some types of traffic.

Modern prohibitory traffic signs[edit]

No entry[edit]

No admittance to unauthorised personnel, usually shown as a red circle with a white rectangle across its face. It is often used for one-way traffic.

Australia
Belgium
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia
Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Zimbabwe
Bulgaria
Canada
China (Mainland)
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Ireland
New Zealand
Norway
Philippines
Poland
Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Mongolia
Sweden
United Kingdom
United States
Japan
India

Wrong way[edit]

These signs denote that the road is only for traffic coming in the opposite direction. Used at intersections to roads with one-way traffic or ramps.

Australia
Austria
Canada
Ireland
Norway
Poland
United States

Road closed[edit]

No admittance for vehicles. It is used on closed roads.

Most European countries
New Zealand
United States
Japan

No straight ahead[edit]

Traffic is not permitted to continue straight, and must usually turn. These may occur at an intersection with incoming one-way traffic.

China (Mainland)
Ireland
Mexico
United States, Canada
India

No motor vehicles[edit]

Motor vehicles are not permitted in this region.

Austria
Belgium
China (Mainland)
China (Hong Kong)
Czech Republic
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Indonesia
Italy
Latvia
Mexico
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Sweden
Turkey
United Kingdom
United States
Japan
India

No motorcycles[edit]

Motorcycles are not permitted in this area.

Austria
Belgium
China (Mainland)
China (Hong Kong)
Czech Republic
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Indonesia
Italy
Latvia
Mexico
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Sweden
Turkey
United Kingdom
United States

No heavy goods vehicles[edit]

Heavy goods vehicles are not allowed.

Australia
Austria
Belgium
Bulgaria
Canada
Canada (Québec)
China (Mainland)
Czech Republic
Estonia
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Indonesia
Italy
Latvia
Mexico
Netherlands
New Zealand
Norway
Philippines
Poland
Slovakia
Sweden
United Kingdom
United States
Russia
Romania

No buses[edit]

Buses are not permitted.

Australia
Austria
Belgium
China (Mainland)
Estonia
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Italy
Netherlands
Poland
Russia
Slovakia
Switzerland, Liechtenstein
Turkey
United Kingdom

No pedestrians[edit]

Pedestrians are not allowed on the road, but may use a footpath instead.

Australia
Austria
Belgium
Bulgaria
Canada
China (Mainland)
Czech Republic
Estonia
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Italy
Mexico
Netherlands
Norway
Philippines
Philippines (use overpass)
Philippines (use pedestrian crossing)
Poland
Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia
Slovakia
Sweden
United Kingdom
Ukraine
United States

No bicycles[edit]

Austria
China (Mainland)
Indonesia
Mexico
Netherlands
United Kingdom
Russia

No pedestrians or bicycles[edit]

Pedestrians and bicycles are not permitted, but may be allowed on a footpath.

Canada
China (Hong Kong)
Germany (unofficial)
Norway
United States
United States (also no motor-driven cycles are allowed^[1])

No right, left, or U-turn[edit]

Either for all vehicles or with some exceptions (emergency vehicles, buses). These are usually to speed up traffic through an intersection or due to street cars or other right of ways or if the intersecting road is one-way. Indicated near-universally by an arrow making the prohibited turn overlaid with a red circle with an angular line crossing it.

No right turn signs[edit]

Australia
Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Zimbabwe
China (Mainland)
France
Indonesia
Mexico
New Zealand
Norway
Philippines
Poland
Saudi Arabia
Sweden
United Kingdom
United States, Canada
Russia
Ukraine
Ireland

No left turn signs[edit]

Australia
Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Zimbabwe
China (Mainland)
France
Mexico
New Zealand
Norway
Philippines
Poland
Sweden
United Kingdom
United States, Canada
Russia
Ukraine
Ireland

No turn signs[edit]

Canada
China (mainland)
United States

No U-turn signs[edit]

Australia
Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Zimbabwe
China (Mainland)
France
Indonesia
Ireland
Mexico
Netherlands
New Zealand
Norway
Philippines
Poland
Saudi Arabia
Sweden
United Kingdom
United States, Canada
Caltrans (Left turn on green arrow)
Russia
Ukraine
Japan

No left or U-turn signs[edit]

United States

Other turn prohibition signs[edit]

Canada: No right turn and straight ahead
Canada: No left turn and straight ahead
China: No right turn and straight ahead
China: No left turn and straight ahead

No overtaking[edit]

Either overtaking is prohibited for all vehicles or certain kinds of vehicles only (e.g. lorries, motorcycles, etc...). In the USA, this is usually phrased as "no passing zone" and indicated by a rectangular, black-on-white sign on the right side of the road that says "DO NOT PASS" and/or by a solid yellow line painted on the roadway marking the left limit of traffic (centerline), and sometimes supplemented by a yellow (no passing zone) sign on the opposite side of the road (where it can be seen by a driver who is attempting to pass). Conversely, when the passing restriction is lifted, a rectangular, black-on-white sign that says "PASS WITH CARE" is placed on the right side of the road and/or the yellow centerline changes from solid to broken (indicating that passing is allowed in that direction).

No overtaking or passing signs[edit]

Canada
China (Mainland)
Indonesia
Norway, typical for most parts of Europe
Philippines
Sweden
Thailand
United Kingdom (excl. Gibraltar)
United States
Russia
Russia
Ireland
Japan

End of overtaking signs[edit]

Canada
China (Mainland)
Indonesia
Norway
Sweden
Russia
Russia

Limits[edit]

Speed limits[edit]

Used to indicate a maximum permissible speed. Speed limits are posted in kilometres per hour in most countries; however, the United Kingdom and United States continue to use miles per hour. Motorists are expected to be aware of this, as the majority of speed limit signs display only a number and no specific units, although some countries' signs do display the unit as well. In Canada, the first sign in a sequence will display km/h and subsequent signs often will omit the unit.

Speed limit signs[edit]

Australia
Canada
China (Mainland)
Germany, typical for most parts of Europe
Indonesia
Ireland
Mexico
New Zealand
Norway
Philippines
Samoa
Sweden
United Kingdom
United States
Russia
Ukraine
Romania
Japan
India

End of speed limit[edit]

Used to denote that a previously posted speed limit is no longer in effect. Statutory state, local, or national speed limits usually govern speed after this point, unless another limit is signposted.

China (Mainland)
Germany, typical for most parts of Europe
Indonesia
New Zealand ^[2]
Philippines
United Kingdom
United States
Ireland
Japan
Russia

Weight limits[edit]

Used denote maximum weight for bridges.

Indonesia
Italy
Mexico
Netherlands
Norway
Philippines
Poland
Saudi Arabia
Sweden
Japan
India
Russia

Width limits[edit]

Used to denote maximum width on narrow roadways.

Indonesia
Italy
Mexico
Netherlands
Norway
Philippines
Poland
Saudi Arabia
Sweden
United Kingdom
Japan
India
Russia

Height limits[edit]

Used to denote height limit on bridges and underpasses.

China (Mainland)
Indonesia
Italy
Mexico
Netherlands
Norway
Philippines
Poland
Saudi Arabia
Sweden
United Kingdom
United States
Japan
India
Russia

Length limits[edit]

Used to denote maximum length.

Indonesia
Italy
Netherlands
Norway
Philippines
Poland
Saudi Arabia
Sweden
United Kingdom
India
Russia

No horns[edit]

Sounding vehicle horns is not allowed for vehicles in some areas, most commonly in school zones, villages, or near hospitals or churches.

Austria
Bulgaria
China (Mainland)
Estonia
France
Indonesia
Italy
Latvia
Mexico
Philippines
Poland
Russia
Ukraine

No parking[edit]

One of the most familiar signs, this sign is used where parking is prohibited. Usually shown as a red diagonal bar inside a blue circle with a red ring in Europe and parts of Asia, and a 'P' in a red circle with a cross through in North and South America, elsewhere in Asia, Australia, Africa and Ireland. The no parking sign is a part of controlled parking zone sign, which is obsolete in Belgrade from 1997.^{[citation needed]}

Australia
Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Zimbabwe
Canada
Caltrans: No parking at Any Time (R28)
China (Mainland)
France
Indonesia
Mexico
New Zealand
Norway
Philippines
United Kingdom
United States
Japan
India
Russia

No stopping[edit]

This sign is used where parking and stopping is prohibited. Usually shown as a red cross inside a blue circle with a red ring in Europe and parts of Asia, and a 'E' in a red circle with a X through in South America.

Australia
Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Zimbabwe
Caltrans: No stopping at Any Time
Caltrans: No stopping at Any Time (Tow-away zone)
Canada
China (Mainland)
Czech Republic
France
Indonesia
Mexico
New Zealand
Norway
Philippines
United Kingdom
Japan
India
Russia

Stop at customs[edit]

Stop at customs that are used at border crossings, toll roads or police.

Italy
Norway
Poland
Slovakia
Sweden
Thailand
Russia

End of restrictions[edit]

These are the signs that end restrictions.

Philippines
Latvia
Lithuania

Other[edit]

Belgium: No cruise control
China (Mainland): No small vehicles
Czech Republic: No transit
United Kingdom: No articulated vehicles
Netherlands: No riders, cattle, wagons, motor vehicles unable to exceed 25 km/h, microcars, bicycles, mopeds or invalid carriages
Philippines: No waiting anytime
A kilometers per hour tab added to the bottom of some Canadian speed limit signs.
Mexico: No stopping for passenger vehicles
A máximum speed plaque added to the bottom of some Mexican speed limit signs.

References[edit]

[1] "Motorcycle Licenses".

[2] "Speed derestriction sign".

[1]

[2]