Road signs in Iceland
Road signs in Iceland are visual communication devices placed along roads and highways throughout the country to provide information, warnings, and guidance to motorists and pedestrians. Iceland never ratified the Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals, but road signs in Iceland conform to the general pattern of those used in most other European countries, with certain design elements borrowed from Danish and Swedish practice. Signs tend to be more sparsely employed than in other European countries, especially in rural areas.
Most road signs in Iceland are not retroreflective, making them harder to see at night.
Design
Distances and other measurements are displayed in metric units. All text within the main signs and on auxiliary signs is exclusively in Icelandic with very few exceptions.
Colours and shapes
Icelandic road signs most closely resemble their Swedish counterparts, with rounded corners and yellow backgrounds. However, there are many differences in detail, especially in the silhouettes used.
Shape and colour are used to indicate the function of signs:
Type of sign | Shape | Border | Background colour | Text/Symbol |
---|---|---|---|---|
Warning | Triangular | Red | Yellow | Black |
Prohibition | Circular | Red | Yellow | Black |
Mandatory instructions | Circular | White | Blue | White |
Supplementary | Rectangular | White Red | Blue Yellow | White Black |
Directions, sometimes | Rectangular | Black | Yellow | Black |
Information | Rectangular | White | Blue | White |
Typeface
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.
Gallery
The original legal source for these are the Icelandic Transport Authority,[1] first ratified in article 289/1995[2] and subsequently amended in 2019 by 365/2019[3] and 548/2019.[4]
Warning signs
- Curve to right
- Curve to left
- Double curve first to right
- Double curve first to left
- Dangerous intersection
- Give way
- Crossroad intersection with priority
- Skewed side junction on right with priority
- Skewed side junction on left with priority
- Side road junction on right with priority
- Side road junction on left with priority
- Offset road junction left right with priority
- Offset road junction right left with priority
- Roundabout ahead
- Children ahead
- Pedestrians
- Zebra crossing
- Watch for horses
- Watch for (large) animals horses
- Watch for (large) animals cow
- Watch for (large) animals sheep
- Watch for (large) animals reindeer
- Bike crossing
- Road narrows on both sides
- Road narrows on right hand side
- Road narrows on left hand side
- Workers ahead
- Steep descent
- Steep ascent
- Bumpy road
- Bump
- Risk of fallen objects or avalanche
- Risk of fallen objects or avalanche
- Loose gravel
- Traffic lights
- Low-flying aircraft
- Two-way traffic
- Tunnel ahead
- Slippery road when wet, iced, etc.
- Dangerous verges
- Soft road verges
- Crosswinds
- Riverbank, quay, beach etc. ahead
- Other hazard, often with subsign
- Road grading
- Risk of ice on road
Prohibitory signs
- Closed to all vehicles
- Prohibited entry
- All motor vehicles prohibited entry
- Cars prohibited entry
- Trucks prohibited entry
- Buses prohibited entry
- Tractors prohibited entry
- Motorbikes prohibited entry
- Mopeds prohibited entry
- Snowmobiles prohibited entry
- Bikes prohibited entry
- Riding horses prohibited entry
- Pedestrians prohibited entry
- Width limit
- Length limit
- Height limit
- Total weight limit
- Total weight limit of combination
- Axle weight limit
- Mandatory stop
- Stop for checkpoint
- Prohibited parking
- Beginning of zone with parking restrictions
- End of zone with parking restrictions
- Prohibited stopping
- Give way to oncoming traffic
- Maximum speed limit in kilometres/hour
- End of maximum speed limit
- Beginning of zone with special speed limit
- End of zone with special speed limit
- Right turn prohibited
- Left turn prohibited
- U-turn prohibited
- Overtaking prohibited
- Overtaking by trucks prohibited
- End of prohibition on overtaking
- End of prohibition on overtaking by trucks
- National speed limit on roads is 60 mph and for dual carriageway from motorway the speed limit is 60 mph
- Minimum space between motor vehicles
- Vehicles carrying dangerous goods prohibited entry
- Transport of water-polluting substances prohibited entry
Mandatory signs
- Turn right
- Turn left
- Go straight
- Turn right
- Turn left
- Turn right or straight
- Turn left or straight
- Turn left or right
- Keep right
- Keep left
- Pass either on side
- Roundabout
- Bikes only
- Pedestrian path
- Bikes and pedestrians only
- Separate lanes for pedestrians and bikes
- Path for riders
Information signs
- Parking zone
- Covered parking zone
- Reserved parking place for disablites vehicle
- Reserved parking place for specific vehicle used by disabled person
- Parking zone for buses
- Parking zone for trucks
- Parking zone for motor cars
- Parking zone with charging station for electric cars
- Parking zone for carvans
- Parking zone for ambulances
- Parking zone for bikes
- Parking zone for motorbikes
- Crosswalk road
- Beginning of priority road
- End of priority road
- Priority over approaching traffic
- Place for allowing oncoming traffic to pass
- One-way traffic
- One-way traffic
- Dead end
- Taxi rank
- Buses stop
- Buses terminal
- Handicapped
- Urban area
- End of urban area
- Beginning of traffic integration zone
- End of traffic integration zone
- Pedestrian underpass to the right
- Pedestrian underpass to the left
- Pedestrian overpass to the right
- Pedestrian overpass to the left
- Place for putting snow-chains on tyres
- Expressway
- Place for turning on right - Signs indicating large vehicles may be turned around, e.g. in tunnel. Further information is provided on an additional sign below.[5]
- Place for turning on left - Signs indicating large vehicles may be turned around, e.g. in tunnel. Further information is provided on an additional sign below.[6]
- Entrance to area
- Exit from area
- Maximum speeds
- Traffic enforcement cameras
Service signs
- First aid station
- Hospital
- Police office
- Pharmacy
- Emergency shelter
- Emergency phone
- Fire extinguisher
- Information
- Information booth
- Public telephone
- Public lavatory
- Outhouse
- Water tank discharge
- Town centre
- Industrial place
- Vacation houses[7]
- Place of interest (indoors)[7]
- Point of interest
- Hiking trail
- Picnic site
- Viewpoint
- Viewpoint with information
- Rubbish bin
- Rubbish container
- Radio station/FM Frequency
- Petrol station
- Mechanic facilities
- Tyre repair
- Cars rental
- Refreshments area
- Restaurants shop
- Restaurant in private home
- Hotel
- Hostel (sleeping bags only)
- Youth hostel
- Rental cabin
- Refuge hut
- Campsite
- Caravan park
- Cooking facilities
- Shower
- Hot tub
- Washing machine
- Meeting facilities
- Internet access
- Swimming pool
- Recreation centre
- Sports field
- Horse hire[7]
- Horse track[7]
- Horse stables[7]
- Horsecart rental[7]
- Fishing
- Ocean fishing
- Whale watching
- Ski lift
- Ski lift with chair
- Cross-country ski area
- Snowcat trips
- Golf course
- Shooting range[7]
- Snowmobile rental
- Water scooter rental
- Bike rental
- Boat rental
- Water skiing
- River rafting
- Church
- Cemetery
- ATM
- Bank
- Post office
- Tourist shop
- Supermarket
- Bakery
- Food kiosk
- Handicrafts
- Greenhouse
- Art gallery
- Library
- Aquarium
- Livestock animals park
- Dog hotel
- Veterinarian
- Music performance[7]
- Ferry
- Boat trips
- Commercial harbour[7]
- Fishing harbour[7]
- Airport
- Airstrip
F series
G series
- Lane ends
H series
J series
- When the "road condition" begins
- On left
- On right
- On both sides
- Extent of prohibition area[7]
- Duration (timing) of prohibition[7]
- Parking time limit[8]
- Parking places, parallel to road[7]
- Parking places, perpendicular to road[7]
- Parking places, angled[7]
- Handicapped parking[8]
- Course of priority road at intersection[7]
- Caution, Blind people[8]
- Caution, Deaf people[8]
- Weight limit[8]
- Tow zone[8]
- New road surface[8]
- Unbridged river crossing[8]
- Slow road: Driving is difficult but not impossible for non-4×4 cars[8]
- Difficult road: 4×4 car required (these and "TORLEIÐI" are typically preceded with an F, e.g. F35)[8]
- Mountain road: Extremely difficult terrain, even in 4×4s[8]
- Blind hill[8]
- Blind hills[8]
- Area with higher accident risk[8]
- One-lane road[8]
- Start of gravel road, slow to 80 km/h (for the best conditions, vary by weather)
- One-lane bridge[8]
- One-lane tunnel
- Stop ahead[8]
- One-lane bridge (with length)[8]
- Street running[8]
Old signs
- Be carefull (1949-1975)
- Stop (1956-1975)
- Prohibited parking (1937-1969)
- Stop (1945-1956)
External links
References
- https://www.samgongustofa.is/
- https://www.samgongustofa.is/media/log-og-reglur-i-umferdarmalum/289_1995-Reglugerd-um-umferdarmerki-og-notkun-theirra-nr_289_1995-20130625.pdf
- https://www.stjornartidindi.is/Advert.aspx?RecordID=3f94b8e1-8912-4640-a8ae-ac40d840b96d
- https://www.stjornartidindi.is/Advert.aspx?RecordID=c3b9b11b-b3bc-4667-bfeb-5030395dcba9
- "Traffic Signs and road markings in Iceland". carrentalss.com. Retrieved 2021-05-13.
- "Traffic Signs and road markings in Iceland". carrentalss.com. Retrieved 2021-05-13.
- Karlsson, Guðni (2021). Driving in Iceland. Netökuskólinn ehf. p. 165-172.
- "Traffic Signs and road markings in Iceland".