Traffic signs and traffic facilities

Traffic signs and traffic facilities serve to regulate traffic. They are ordered by the authorities and must be observed by road users on their own responsibility.

Traffic signs include

• Traffic signs,
• road markings, traffic light displays and traffic
• signs from traffic posts.

Traffic facilities are

• Barriers,
• barrier posts,
• parking meters and parking ticket machines,
• railings, barriers and guidance systems as well as
• flashing light and traffic light systems ("traffic lights").

All traffic signs are listed in the traffic sign catalog.

According to the Road Traffic Regulations (StVO), traffic signs and traffic facilities can be divided into the following groups of traffic signs:

• § 36 Signs and instructions from police officers
• § 37 Alternating light signs, permanent light signs and green arrows
• § 38 Blue flashing light and yellow flashing light
• § 39 Traffic signs
• § 40 Danger signs
• § 41 Regulatory signs
• § 42 Direction signs
• § 43 Traffic facilities

The road traffic authorities are responsible for ordering traffic signs and traffic facilities. When and where traffic signs and traffic facilities can be ordered is comprehensively regulated in § 45 StVO. Which road traffic authorities are responsible for which roads is specified for Hesse in the Ordinance on the Determination of Traffic Law Responsibilities.

Traffic signs and traffic facilities areinstalled, maintained and removed by the responsible road construction authorities. The responsible road construction authority is

• for freeways, federal roads (exception: through roads in towns with more than 80,000 inhabitants) and state roads (exception: through roads in municipalities with more than 30,000 inhabitants):
  Hessen Mobil - Road and Traffic Management;
• for district roads as a rule:
  the district committee in rural districts, the magistrate in urban districts;
• for municipal roads as well as state and district roads in municipalities with more than 30,000 inhabitants:
  the municipal council (in cities: the magistrate).

In the event of malfunctions or damage to traffic signs and traffic facilities, see: "Traffic signs and traffic facilities: Reporting damage and malfunctions"