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Stop sign used in English-speaking countries, as well as in most European countries

A Stop sign is a traffic sign to notify drivers that they must stop before proceeding.^[1]

Specifications[link]

The Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals proposed standard stop sign diameters of 0.6, 0.9 or 1.2 metres. UK and New Zealand stop signs are 750, 900 or 1200 mm, according to sign location and traffic speeds.^[2][3] In the United States, stop signs have a size of 75 cm across opposite flats of the red octagon, with a 20mm white border. The white uppercase letters forming the stop legend are 25 cm tall.^[4][5] Larger signs of 90 cm (36 in) with 30 cm (12 in) legend and 25 mm (⅞ in) border are used on multilane expressways. Regulatory provisions exist for extra-large 120 cm (48 in) signs with 40 cm (16 in) legend and 30 mm (1¼ in) border for use where sign visibility or reaction distance are limited, and the smallest permissible stop sign size for general usage is 60 cm (24 in) with a 20 cm (8 in) legend and 15 mm (⅝ in) border.^[6] The metric units specified in the US regulatory manuals are rounded approximations of English units, not exact conversions.^[5][7] Field, legend, and border are all retroreflective.

Stop signs are retroreflective. In this night photo, the person is barely visible, while the sign is brightly lit by the camera's flash.

The stop instruction is specified with either an English stop or local language legend in the United Nations Convention on Road Signs and Signals. Some countries use both. The sign's distinctive design was developed and first used in the U.S., and later adopted by other countries and by the U.N. Despite this, the U.S. is not a signatory to the U.N. Traffic Signs and Signals Convention.

Placement and standardization[link]

Stop signs are used globally. However, most countries see fewer of them than North America and South Africa, because all-way stops are never used and may even be legally prohibited.^{[8][dead link]} In a majority of European countries including France, Spain and Italy, junctions without traffic lights or roundabouts are controlled by stop signs on minor roads and by white, yellow and black priority diamond signs on the major road. In the UK, the Netherlands, Scandinavia, New Zealand and Australia, stop signs are restricted to situations wherein coming to a dead stop is actually necessary because of severely limited sight lines. At the vast majority of minor intersections in these countries, however, Give Way signs and/or equivalent road markings have now taken the place of stop signs. Finally, at the busier crossing streets, Give Way signs may be replaced by (mini) roundabouts, which also work on the give way (rather than stop) principle.

In North America[link]

Stop signs are often used in North America to control conflicting traffic movements at intersections which are not busy enough to justify the installation of a traffic signal or roundabout. In the United States, the stop sign is not intended for use as a traffic calming device;^[6] it is meant to be installed mainly for safety and/or to assign right-of-way for a certain direction. Nevertheless, in the United States, Mexico and Canada, stop signs are commonly deployed as supposed safety measures in residential areas and near places where children play or walk (such as schoolyards), or which experience frequent automobile accidents, making extra precautions necessary. Stop signs may be erected on all intersecting roads, resulting in three- and four-way stops.^[6] However, studies have confirmed that stop signs do not offer measurable safety benefits over the Yield approach adopted in the countries listed above based on original European research dating back many decades.^[9][10]

More recently, Georgia Traffic Engineer Martin Bretherton Jr. reviewed over 70 technical papers to find that multi-way stop signs do not typically control traffic speeds, and can create liability issues, traffic noise, pollution, enforcement problems and poor stop compliance when drivers feel that the signs have no justification. Fifteen studies found that unwarranted multi-way stops actually increased speed away from intersections as motorists try to make up lost time spent at "unnecessary" stop signs. Multi-way stop signs impose high vehicle operating costs, longer than needed travel times, excessive fuel consumption and increased vehicle emissions.^[11]

Researchers also found that safety of pedestrians (especially small children) may sometimes be decreased. Pedestrians expect vehicles to stop, but many drivers run the "unnecessary" signs. Engine exhaust, brake, tire and aerodynamic noise may all increase as cars brake and then accelerate up to speed. While the initial cost of installing stop signs is low, enforcement costs can be prohibitive, and one 1990 study estimated extra travel costs per intersection as $210,061/year.^[12] Finally, where unwarranted multi-way stops have been successfully removed with public support, results have included improved compliance at justified stop signs.

An American school bus displaying front and rear folding stop signs

On school buses[link]

A pivoting arm equipped with a stop sign is required equipment on North American school buses. The sign stows flat on the left side of the bus. When deployed by the driver while picking up or dropping off passengers, the sign pivots out to warn drivers against illegally passing the bus. Some buses have two such stop arms, one near the front and one near the rear. The stop sign is retroreflective and equipped either with red blinking lights above and below the stop legend, or with a stop legend that is illuminated by LEDs.

United Kingdom[link]

In the UK, stop signs may be placed only at sites with severely restricted visibility, and each must be individually approved by the Secretary of State for Transport.^[13] Section 79 of the Highways Act 1980 enables the government to improve visibility at junctions, as by removing or shortening walls or hedges, in preference to placing a stop sign. The former UK practice of using "Halt" or "Slow" at Major Road Ahead signs was discontinued in 1965 at the recommendation of the Worboys Committee.^[14] Instead of replacing all the old "Halt" signs with the new Vienna Convention "Stop" sign, "Give Way" became the standard sign at UK priority junctions.^[15]

Compliance requirements[link]

Laws and regulations regarding how drivers must comply with a stop sign vary by jurisdiction. In the United States and Canada, these rules are set and enforced at the state or provincial level^{[citation needed]}. At a junction where two or more traffic directions are controlled by stop signs, generally the driver who arrives and stops first continues first. If two or three drivers in different directions stop simultaneously at a junction controlled by stop signs, generally the drivers on the left must yield the right-of-way to the driver on the far right.

In all countries, the driver must come to a complete stop at a stop sign, even if no other vehicle or pedestrian is visible. However, some drivers practice a maneuver called a rolling stop or nicknamed after a city or region regarded as somewhere it is commonplace (e.g., "Rhode Island roll" or "California stop"^[16]) - slowing down significantly but not stopping completely at the sign.^[17] This partial stop is not acceptable to most law enforcement officials, and can result in a traffic citation. It is dangerous because pedestrians, bicyclists and other motorists are likely to assume that the driver is coming to a full stop and may proceed into the driver's path.

Theft and vandalism[link]

This section requires expansion.

Stop signs are sometimes vandalized or stolen as pranks. A fatal accident caused by the theft of a stop sign could result in manslaughter charges against the offender.^[18]

History[link]

Yellow 1924-1954 stop sign. Mounting height is typical.

Stop signs originated in Michigan in 1915.^[19] The first ones had black letters on a white background and were 24 by 24 inches (61 × 61 cm), somewhat smaller than the current sign. As stop signs became more widespread, a committee supported by the American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHO) met in 1922 to standardize them, and selected the octagonal shape that has been used in the United States ever since. The unique eight-sided shape of the sign allows drivers facing the back of the sign to identify that oncoming drivers have a stop sign and prevent confusion with other traffic signs. It was also chosen so that it could be identified easily at night, since the original signs were not reflective. The National Conference on Street and Highway Safety (NCSHS), a group competing with AASHTO, advocated a smaller red-on-yellow stop sign.^[19] These two organizations eventually merged to form the Joint Committee on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, which in 1935 published the first Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways (MUTCD) detailing the stop sign's specifications.

The MUTCD stop sign specifications were altered eight times between 1935 and 1971, mostly dealing with its reflectorization and its mounting height. From 1924 to 1954, stop signs were made with a black stop legend on a yellow field. In 1954, the sign gained its current white legend/red field color configuration. Red signifies stop on traffic signals, so this specification unified red as a stop signal whether indicated by sign or by light. The mounting height reached its current level of 7 ft (2.13 m) in 1971;^[19] previously, stop signs were typically mounted 2–3 feet (0.61–0.91 m)^[vague] above the ground^{[citation needed]}.

The already-widespread use of the MUTCD stop sign became law in the United States in 1966.^[19] In 1968, this sign was adopted by the Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals as part of United Nations Economic Commission for Europe's effort to standardize road travel across borders. The Convention specifies that 'stop' be written in English or the national language and allows an alternative circular yellow sign. Many European countries are party to the Convention. English speaking countries, the exception being India, are not party to the Convention but usually use the red octagonal stop sign per their own standards, like the MUTCD. Even in countries not associated with either standard mentioned above the red octagonal stop sign is often used. Unique types of stop signs may be still be observed in countries like Japan.

Sign variants[link]

Although all English-speaking and many other countries use the English word stop on stop signs, some jurisdictions use an equivalent word in their primary language instead of or in addition to it. Israel uses the image of a hand in a "stop" gesture.

In some Caribbean and South American countries (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Uruguay and Venezuela), signs bear the legend pare ("stop" in Portuguese and Spanish). Mexico and Central American countries bear the legend alto ("halt") instead.

Bilingual stop sign.

In Quebec, Canada, modern signs read either arrêt or stop,^[20] however it is not uncommon to see older signs containing both words in smaller lettering, with arrêt on top.^[21] Both stop and arrêt are considered valid French words and the Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF) notes that the use of "stop" on stop signs is attested in French since 1927.^[22] In practice, however, it can be empirically observed (for instance, with Google Street View) that "arrêt" predominates in French-speaking areas (i.e., most of the geographic extent of Québec), while "stop" can be found in majority English-speaking areas such as Montreal's West Island suburbs. At the time of the debates surrounding the adoption of the Charter of the French Language ("Bill 101") in 1977, the usage of "stop" on the older dual-word signs was considered to be English and therefore controversial; some signs were occasionally vandalized with red spray paint to turn the word stop into "101".^[23] However, it was later officially determined by the OQLF that "stop" is a valid French word in this context, and the older dual arrêt + stop usage is therefore not considered bilingual but merely redundant and therefore deprecated (à éviter). All newly installed signs thus use either one word or the other, but not both.

The province of New Brunswick has bilingual stop arrêt in English-speaking areas. Acadian regions of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island also have bilingual signs. On First Nations or Inuit territories, stop signs sometimes use the local aboriginal language in addition to or instead of English and/or French. Other parts of Canada use stop.

Arabic-speaking countries use قف qif

China uses 停 tíng

Malaysia uses berhenti

Japan uses 止まれ tomare

Mongolia uses ЗОГС

Turkey uses dur

Korea uses 정지 jeongji

Almost all of Europe, including e.g. France, Greece, Russia, Serbia and Spain (not Turkey), use "STOP" in latin letters.

The white legend/red field appearance is usually the same. Exceptions include Japan, which uses an inverted solid red triangle; and Zimbabwe, which uses a disc bearing a black cross.

• 

  Inuktitut - English - with caption ᓄᕐᒃᑲᕆᑦ (nuqkarit)

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  Managua, Nicaragua, "alto" is commonly used throughout Central America and Mexico - Spanish

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  Québec - French

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  Québec - French, English, Cree

• StopSignMonaco.jpg

  Monaco (French road signs and rules are enforced) -
  Stop (common in francophone Europe)

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  China – with caption 停 (tíng)

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  United Arab Emirates - with caption قف (qif)

• StopSignWadiMusa.jpg

  Jordan - with caption قف (qif)

• Stop sign, Tanger, Morocco, Oct 2011.jpg

  Sewage treatment plant in Tangier, Morocco - with caption قف (qif)

• StopSignZinNegev.jpg

  Israel - symbolic

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  Japan – with caption 止まれ (tomare)

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  Zimbabwe

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  Former European stop sign. Still used in the Bahamas. Common in Europe until the 1980s.

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  Stop sign in an Irish-speaking region in Ireland ("stad" meaning "stop" in Irish, non-standard).

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  Stop sign in Colombia. Many other South American countries also use the word "Pare" ("stop" in Portuguese and Spanish).

• StopSignSãoPaulo.jpg

  Stop sign in São Paulo, Brazil - Portuguese.

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  Stop sign at the Panama Canal.

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  Stop sign at Kahnawake, Canada in English and Mohawk language.

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  Stop sign at Odanak, Canada in French, English and Abenakis language.

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  Iran - with caption ايست (ist).

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  Korea - with caption 정지 (jeongji).

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  Taiwanese stop sign.

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  Mongolian stop sign.

• 

  Stop sign used in Ethiopia

• 

  Stop sign used in Cuba.

• 

  Stop sign used in Libya.

• 

  Old Italian stop sign.

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  Old Finnish stop sign.

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  Old German stop sign.

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  Old American stop sign.

See also[link]

• All-way stop
• Octagon
• Road safety
• Rules of the road
• School bus traffic stop laws
• Traffic sign
• Warning sign

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Stop signs (gallery)

• History of Stop Signs
• Stop Sign Photo Gallery
• A Collection of Stop and Yield Signs