[ARCHIVED] Your Survival Guide to American Traffic Laws/Signs

[Takumi Fujiwara 86]

With the upcoming release of ATS (woo woo hype train) I've put together this guide:

 

The Essential Survival Guide To:

http://www.americantrucksimulator.com/images/ats_logo.png

 

 

 

 

1. On the Topic of Red Lights

With red lights, right turns are legal unless there is a sign that says "no right turn on red" usually there is a separate turning signal. Turning left on red is also legal ONLY if the street you are turning on to is a one-way street going from right to left.

Example of "No Turn on Red" sign:

http://mothercopper.com/case_yours/images/NoTurnOnRed_02.jpg

 

 

2. On the Topic of Weight
Roads (especially residential ones) and bridges can be weight restricted, which will be designated on signs. Trucks making local deliveries (meaning somewhere on the road) on weight restricted roads are exempt.
Bridges that are weight restricted are another story, you'll be warned about the weight restriction, and then have another sign directly at the bridge. The weight limit is different depending on how big your truck is. Example:

2a. On the Topic of Weigh Stations

In America on major Interstates there are weigh stations, which are usually open during weekdays. When a weigh station is open (which is shown on LED signs) ALL trucks besides pickup trucks must pull off at the weigh station. When on the off-ramp for the weigh station you will be given one of two signals. A weigh signal which means you must proceed to the scales, or you may receive a bypass signal, which means you can continue along the slip-road (set up similar to how some large fuel stations in ETS2 are setup) and merge back onto the Interstate without being weighed. 

Example of weigh station sign:

http://cbsboston.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/weigh.jpg

 

DISCLAIMER: How the weigh stations are set up in ATS is not identically reflective of the real world!

 

 

3. On the Topic of Road Signs:

3a. General Road Signs

http://cdn.prochan.com/80281E/pc_u/u/other/2012/Oct/25/e53_1351184775_sf_1.jpg

Clearance signs are similar to the EU ones, except they are yellow and are larger and usually there are more of them. the left number is feet and the right number is inches.

(this sign reads that the clearance of the obstacle ahead is 11 feet 8 inches)

http://us.123rf.com/450wm/captainvector/captainvector1508/captainvector150804561/43309835-right-curve-with-advisory-speed-sign.jpg

Advisory speed sign, shows a description of what to expect ahead, and the number designates the advisory speed for the curve(in miles per hour obv) the advisory speed can also be on a separate sign below the sign. (THIS IS ADVISORY AND NOT A SET SPEED LIMIT)

http://www.trafficsign.us/650/warn/w4-2.gif
Lane ends sign, varies to reflect which lane ends and what lane it merges into
http://us.123rf.com/450wm/jojoo64/jojoo641503/jojoo64150300272/37324861-us-road-warning-sign-merge-ahead.jpg
Lane merge sign. warns you that whichever lane is shown on the sign merges into a lane (either right or left) commonly used on freeway entrances.

http://pad3.whstatic.com/images/thumb/0/0e/Understand-Traffic-Signs-Step-2.jpg/728px-Understand-Traffic-Signs-Step-2.jpg

Stop signs, pretty self explanatory, except that the sign underneath designates which traffic of the intersection ALSO has a stop sign (two-way means oncoming traffic also has a stop sign but cross traffic does not, 3-way is usually used on intersections with more than two directions of travel. All-Way means every direction of travel has a stop sign)

http://www.painetworks.com/photos/iy/iy7118.JPG

Grade sign, means that there is a steep grade ahead (will usually say the percentage on the sign or on a separate sign below it) Ingame there is a sign below that says "trucks use low gear"

 

3b. Interstate and Highway Signs

 

http://www.trafficsign.us/media/m1-1a.gif

interstate sign, similar to motorway signs in europe, it tells you what interstate you are on and usually has a sign above or below that says what direction you are travelling (northbound, southbound, etc.)

http://www.pd4pic.com/images/sign-road-route-highway-u-s-route-101.png

US Highway Sign. Unlike interstates state highways are usually smaller, but can travel at a faster speed, and can go out of state just like interstates.

 

State Highway signs vary from state to state. These highways usually do not go outside of their state.

 

California: 

 

Nevada:

 

(This area will be updated as more states are released.)

 

As for Interstate destination/exit signs I made this diagram:

http://i.imgur.com/Iqq3Z4X.jpg

 

 

4. Right of Way

 

In America turning traffic does not have right of way. Traffic continuing straight should NOT stop for them.

On interstates and highways traffic merging onto the interstate does not have right of way. You must stop for any traffic that is already on the interstate.

 

 

ALSO: Hazardous materials are not allowed on some county/state highways! There will usually be a sign before any on-ramps onto the highway that will say "no hazardous materials on US (or state route) XX" (this probably isnt simulated in ATS)

DOUBLE ALSO: there is a trick with exit numbers, they usually are how many miles away from the next/last state border the interstate crosses

This Guide will be updated with any info that I feel is necessary. Happy Trucking! 

 

 

 

 

Changelog (does anyone even read these):

 

03/02/2016:

1.US highway sign was mislabeled. Corrected.

2.Added section on specific state highway signs.

3.Changed some wording in the weigh station section

4.Added ingame info on grade signs

 

07/02/2016:

1. Added section on right of way

[Beefy32659_YT]

Cool guide I will sure use this for ATS.

[RadioactivePotato]

Thanks!

[stilldre1976]

Nice lil guide matey

 

only thing catching me out at the mo is US indicators are red upto EUs orange blinkers lol

[TrademarkGamer]

Great guide. Will come in useful to me 

[MrHarv98]

Good job Tak! 

[caff!!!]

Exit Only signs designate exits that do not have immediate access back onto the road you just left. (which scs goofed up, heh)

[OriginalDoubleO]

Wonderful guide Tak, #ATSHype

[Smalley]

I'm so confused but I see you've put effort into this so I can give you that. It looks all planned out.

[Empirekicking]

I'm not surprised if I see players doing the completed opposite

[Christian7073]

Very good Guide, now i know more things about the traffic signs!

Ps. some texts in screens are illegible

[Digital]

Great guide Tak, actually quite useful especially for a UK driver.

[MaffewE]

Nice guide, haven't seen most of these signs yet though!

[jacoblovekw]

Great guide Tak!

[Jeezyn]

Thanks for the advice!   

[Peedrop]

Nice guide, but isnt it a rule when traffic lights are flashing yellow it makes the entire intersection a 4-way stop 

[Takumi Fujiwara 86]

traffic lights dont usually flash yellow (unless it is a light tailored to people who are color blind) usually they will flash red, which then they are a 4-way stop

[John_24]

Thanks for the guide. I just installed MP today and wow, a guy hit me head on during delivery

[Takumi Fujiwara 86]

Guide updated 07/02/2016

[Guest]

Nice

[R4C3R98]

10/10 would noob read again

[OmGiTsPhiL]

traffic lights dont usually flash yellow (unless it is a light tailored to people who are color blind) usually they will flash red, which then they are a 4-way stop

Around here (and everywhere else I've been in the US), around 11pm-6am all lights at non-major intersections flash red or yellow (Major intersections function as normal).  Flashing yellow tends to be treated as a green light, as the other directions always have a flashing red light that is to be treated as a stop sign.  This has unfortunately caused quite a few accidents for me in single player before I realized it, and some real close calls because of habits in MP, as the game's quite a bit off when it comes to realism with the layouts and whatnot

Neat article is neat

 

Great guide, though!

[Darth Wazawai]

^ no lights around me change unless a power outage happens... I find it a bit odd that the game does it in mp and not sp... I'm used to 24/7 traffic light control.

Also merging traffic does not have the right of way in either state, it's just nice to let them in...

https://forum.ets2mp.com/index.php?/topic/26713-turning-right-on-red/(second page my long post)

[Col_Crunch]

Change to #4: Traffic entering the highway/interstate gives way to traffic already on the highway/interstate. Traffic entering the highway never has the right of way. I have looked at the Driving Manuals from MA, NV, CA, FL, WA, WI, MN, MI, KY, ME, TX, AZ, OR, CO, NH, VT, CT, RI, and NY and all of them say that a driver entering a highway yields to traffic already on the highway (1 or 2 of them don't specifically mention right of way or yielding, but are written in such a way that communicates that you wait for conditions on the highway to be safe, not that drivers will make it safe to enter).

 

Also it would be a good idea to address the lane markings that we use, I have noticed some overtaking on double yellow lines (where in Europe there may be broken white lines on the same kind of road). So here is a quick explanation:

 

Broken yellow line: This is just like a broken white line in Europe, it separates 2 lanes of traffic going opposite directions, passing is allowed.

Broken White Lines: Separates traffic going the same direction.

 

Solid White Line: Used to mark the right hand side of a roadway, or can separate 2 lanes of traffic moving in the same direction, you should not cross this line, unless it is to avoid a collision or other hazard.

 

Solid double yellow line: Separates 2 lanes of traffic going opposite directions. You should not cross these lines unless directed to do so, or to turn into a driveway, make a U-Turn (where legal), or turn into or out of a private road.

Solid double white line: Separates 2 lanes of traffic going the same direction. Crossing these lines is not allowed.

 

One solid and One broken Yellow Line: One solid yellow line and one broken yellow line separate opposite lanes of traffic. If the solid yellow line is closer to you, you cannot cross the lines. If the broken line is closer to you, you can only cross the line to pass another vehicle when it is safe to do so.

Edited February 10, 2016 by ColCrunch

[TRANSPORTER-]

Thanks pal!