The use of road signs and safety for all who use those roads go hand in hand. For many people, little thought is given to road signs except when they seem to impede their traveling. Without them, however, there is little doubt travelers would find a completely different world out there on the roads.

Why Road Signs Are Necessary
There are a number of different reasons why road signs are necessary in the busy and congested streets of today. It was not very long after the automobile began to catch on that such signs became necessary for many reasons that sought to address a greater number of vehicles as well as pedestrians in the same area at the same time.

Safety is Number One
This is probably the number one reason for having road signs. Warnings of sharp curves, rough roads and construction areas ahead all serve to provide drivers with an ample amount of time to adjust their speed so they can maintain control of their vehicles. However, people traveling inside cars are not the only ones who are protected when the right signs are used. Pedestrians are afforded a safe crossing from one side of a busy intersection to another by the strategic location of a crosswalk sign and the accompanying crosswalk area on the pavement, for example.

Maintaining Order Keeps Safety at the Forefront
Closely related tor safety is the ability of road signs to maintain a semblance of order among the thousands of cars that transverse the roads. From school zone signs that warn drivers to drive more slowly to allow buses to exit the school grounds to signs that warn of upcoming streets so drivers can prepare to make the necessary turns, order is maintained in a way so that traffic flow is not impeded and safety is guarded.

An Absence of Road Signs Would Mean Chaos
Sometimes people complain about road signs. They might not want to slow down when traveling through areas that are known to be heavily congested or that feature many slow moving trucks traversing the roads in and out of a business park, for example.

• Protect Lives: Another example of a road sign that some people would rather ignore are those that warn of oncoming trains. Though the trains might cause delays, without the presence of signs to warn of a train crossing, it is likely that more people would be killed or injured each year due to being surprised by their presence.
• Protect Resources: Road signs that warn drivers to keep their vehicles off the grass or to avoid parking except in places designated as such help protect fragile resources such as the grass and other foliage.

Work With Road Signs Instead of Against Them
Road signs provide people with the means to reach their destinations safely and easily. Without them, people would not be warned of the dangers that await them up ahead. Deer crossing signs, for example, remind drivers that the area is well known for its prevalence of deer sightings. Slowing their speed and being extra vigilant while driving through these areas can make a different for those drivers who would otherwise be unaware of the deer population.