The European Conference on Road Traffic,

Having carefully examined the Draft Convention of the International Regime of Commercial Motor Transport and having deliberated thereon;

Observing that the discussions in the First Commission of the Conference have brought to light a number of legal problems, particularly, in regard to what public transport sevices may properly be made the subject of international regulation, and also in regard to the question of freedom of transit;

Believing that these problems cannot be elucidated without further investigation based on a comparative examination of the domestic law of the different countries represented at the Conference;

Being of opinion that any Convention that might be concluded before there has been time to carry out such investigation and at a time when the laws of the various countries are in process of evolution, could cover only a few isolated points and must neglect the fundamental principles governing the subject;

That such a Convention would have the grave disadvantage of being less progressive than the increasinglt liberal practice which is tending to become established in many countries;

That, so far from encouraging progress in the municipal law of countries, it would be more likely to retard such progress; and,

That this disadvantage would be equally serious asa regards the progress of the international law of communications, which also shows a definitive tendency towards increasing liberality;

Adopts the following resolution:

I. With a view to ensuring as uniform an application as possible of the provisions of paragraph 2 of Article 3 of the Convention concerning the Unification of Road Signals, providing for the adoption of additional signs coming within the general scheme of the system adopted, the Conference recommends that, in all cases where this appears possible, Governments should, before introducing any such additional sign, ask the opinion of the Permanent Committee on Road Traffic.

II. The Conference,

Considering that the problem of light signals is very complicated since it covers both the regulation of traffic at cross-roads by means of automatic or controlled lights with regular or periodic operation and with or without the intervention of police officials; and also the lighting of refuges, the indication of one-way streets, warnings and information etc.;

Considering in particular that, when it is desired to regulate traffic at cross-roads with the help of coloured light signs, use can be made of one colour (red or green), two colours (red and green) or three colours (red, green and yellow); but that it is desirable not to use others for fear of confusion;

Considering that, on the above hypotheses, and as a general rule, prohibition of passage should be indicated by the colour red; that if a colour is used to indicate freedom of passage this should be green and that yellow should be utilised as an auxiliary colour;

Considering that, by combining these colours in various ways, with or without the extinction of all lights, or by utilising, in addition, if occasion arises, indications given by means of sound signals, different systems can be evoloved, the effectiveness of which from the point of view of facilitating and making safe the passage of vehicles and pedestrians has been tested in several countries, but that the results of these tests are not yet sufficient to justify preference being given to any one system:

Recommends that the Permanent Committee on Road Traffic should, in the light of the experiments now being made, conduct a thorough enquiry into the problem of light signals with a view to determining what exactly are the respective qualities of the different systems and, if necessary, the factors to be borne in mind in making a choice among them, it being understood that, if the adoption of a single system should not appear to be compatible with the circumstances attending each particular case, the systems of signals to be recommended for the different cases should never be mutually contradictory.

III. The Conference,

After examining the present situation in regard to the signals made in different countries by officials directing traffic and the signals to be made by drivers of vehicles, and after considering the needs which, in this connection, are seen to be more urgent every day;

Noting the difficulties that may arise and the accidents that may occur through uncertainly due to the lack of an internationally recognised systematic regulation of the different signals:

Recommends:

IV. The Conference considers it highly desirable that, in all countries, Goverments should take steps to see that children and young persons are sufficiently instructed as to the dangers of the road and the means of guarding against such dangers, this instruction to iclude, in particular, information concerning the regulation road traffic signs and signals.

V. The Conference recommends that the High Contracting Parties should endeavour, either by means of domestic legislation or by agreements among themselves, to further and extend as widely as possible the system of fiscal exemption laid down in the present Convention, and to render more perfect the methods of applying that system.