The first mention of road signs dates back to Ancient Rome, where stone pillars with carved directions and city names were used. They helped travelers navigate and choose the right path. However, such signs did not provide information about traffic rules or dangers.
In the Middle Ages, signs and guide plates for travelers appeared in Europe, indicating the distance to cities and main places. However, they also did not have a systematized system of signs and were not associated with certain traffic rules.
The first road signs similar to modern ones appeared in the second half of the 19th century in Great Britain. In 1868, the first enameled metal signs were erected in Liverpool to regulate traffic. These signs warned of dangers, indicated traffic rules and speed limits.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the development of the automotive industry and the increase in the number of cars led to the need to improve the system of road signs. In 1909, the United States developed the first system of road signs, consisting of triangles, circles and rectangles of various colors. This system became the basis for subsequent developments and was implemented in many countries.
In 1949, the International Commission on Road Traffic (ICDD) was established, which standardized the system of road signs and developed uniform rules for their use. This was an important step towards ensuring safety and consistency on the roads between different countries.