ITAC Multilateral Road Traffic Convention

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Arrangements for the convening of an international conference to replace the Convention on Road and Traffic and the Protocol on Road Signs and Signals done at Geneva, 19 September 1949.

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Final Act

Convention on Road Traffic, Convention on Road Signs and Signals

FINAL ACT AND RELATED DOCUMENTS 

Geneva, 1969 

TABLE OF CONTENTSFINAL ACT AND RELATED DOCUMENTS CHAPTER I. GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1

FINAL ACT OF THE UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ON ROAD AND MOTOR TRANSPORT 

1. The United Nations 

Conference on Road and Motor Transport was convened by the Secretary-General of the United Nations in accordance with resolution 147 В (VII) adopted by the Economic ¡and Social Council on 28 August 1948. This resolution read as follows: "The Economic and Social Council "Instructs the Secretary-General: "1. To convene a Conference of Governments, not later than August 1949, with the object of concluding a new world-wide Convention on Road and Motor Transport, the two world-wide Conventions of 1926, namely: "(a) International Convention relating to Road Traffic, "(6) International Convention relating to Motor Traffic, and the subsequent Convention of 1931 on the Unification of Road Signals, being obsolete. The draft text of the Inland Transport Committee of the Economic Commission for Europe, resulting from a study by this Committee, and the text of the 1943 Convention on the Regulation of Inter-American Automotive Traffic, inter alia, will serve as working-papers for the Conference; "2. To request the Economic Commission for Europe to have the .draft text referred to above completed and forwarded to the Secretary-General as soon as practicable; "3. To invite the other regional commissions to submit any reports which they may desire on this subject; "4. To circulate the above-mentioned texts to all the Governments invited to the Conference; "5. To draw up a provisional agenda for the Conference; "6. (a) To invite to participate in- Jthe Conference all States Members of the United Nations at die time of the convening of the Conference, and also the States not Members of the United Nations which were invited to participate in the United Nations Maritime Conference; and (6) To request the Governments of the States invited to give their delegates full powers to sign, subject to ratification, such Convention as may be concluded at the Conference; "7. To invite the specialized agencies, inter-governmental organizations and international organizations in this field, as may be appropriate, to send observers to the Conference; "Decides that the right to vote at the Conference may be exercised 'by aH States Members of the United Nations and those States not Members which are invited under paragraph 6 (a) above, and which are parties to any of the Conventions cited in paragraph 1 above."

Article 1

1. While reserving its jurisdiction over the use of its own roads, each Contracting State agrees to the use of its roads for international traffic under the conditions set out in this Convention. 2. No Contracting State shall be required to extend the benefit of the provisions of this Convention to any motor vehicle or trailer, or to any driver having remained within its territory for a continuous period exceeding one year.

Article 2

1. The Annexes to this Convention shall be considered as integral parts of the Convention; it being understood, however, that any State may on signature or ratification of, or accession to, the Convention, or at any time thereafter, by declaration exclude Annexes 1 and 2 from its application of the Convention. 2. Any Contracting State may at any time give notice to the Secretary-General of the United Nations that it will be bound, as from the date of the said notification, by Annexes 1 and 2 as excluded under the terms of paragraph 1 of this Article.

Geneva Convention
“On Road Traffic”

This is an international agreement created to standardize and simplify traffic rules in order to improve road safety. The Convention was developed at a conference held in Geneva from August 23 to September 19, 1949. It sets standards for various aspects of road traffic, including driving license and vehicle requirements. You can find the full text of the convention below.

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Final Act

Convention on Road Traffic, Convention on Road Signs and Signals

FINAL ACT AND RELATED DOCUMENTS 

Geneva, 1969 

TABLE OF CONTENTSFINAL ACT AND RELATED DOCUMENTS CHAPTER I. GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 3

1. Measures which all the Contracting States or certain of them may have agreed, or shall in the future agree, to put into effect with a view to facilitating international road traffic by simplifying customs, police, health or other requirements will be regarded as being in conformity with the object of this Convention. 2. (a) A bond or other form of security guaranteeing payment of any import duties and import taxes which would, in the absence of such security, be chargeable on the importation of any motor vehicle admitted to international traffic may be required by any Contracting State; (b) A Contracting State shall accept for the purposes of this Article the guarantee of an organization established in its own territory affiliated to an international association which has issued a valid international customs pass for the motor vehicle (such as a carnet de passages en douane). 3. For the fulfilment of the requirements provided for in this Convention the Contracting States will endeavour to keep open during the same hours customs offices and posts next to each other on the same international road.

Article 4

1. For the purpose of this Convention the following expressions shall have the meanings hereby assigned to them: "International traffic" means any traffic which crosses at least one frontier; "Road" means any way open to the public for the circulation of vehicles; "Carriageway" means  that portion of a road normally used by vehicular traffic; "Lane" means any one of the parts into which the carriageway is divisible, each sufficient in width for one moving line of vehicles; "Driver" means any person who drives a vehicle, including cycles, or guides draught, pack or saddle animals or herds or flocks on a road, or who is in actual physical control of the same; "Motor vehicle" means any self-propelled vehicle normally used for the transport of persons or goods upon a road,other than vehicles running on rails or connected to electric conductors. Any State bound by Annex 1 shall exclude from this definition cycles fitted with an auxiliary engine of the type described in that Annex; "Articulated vehicle" means any motor vehicle with a trailer having no front axle and so attached that part of the trailer is superimposed upon the motor vehicle and a substantial part of the weight of the trailer and of its load is borne by the motor vehicle. Such a trailer shall be called a "semi-trailer"; "Trailer" means any vehicle designed to be drawn by a motor vehicle; "Cycle" means any cycle not self-propelled. Any State bound by Annex 1 shall include in this definition cycles fitted with an auxiliary engine of the type described in that Annex; "Laden weight" of a vehicle means the weight of the vehicle and its load when the vehicle is stationary and ready for the road, and shall include the weight of the driver and of any other persons carried for the time being; "Maximum load" means the weight of the load declared permissible by the competent authority of the country of registration of the vehicle; "Permissible maximum weight" of a vehicle means the weight of the vehicle and its maximum load when the vehicle is ready for the road.

Article 5

This Convention is not to be taken as authorizing the carriage of persons for hire or reward or the carriage of goods other than the personal baggage of the occupants of the vehicle; it being understood  that these matters and all other matters not provided for in this  Convention remain within the competence of domestic legislation, subject to the application of other relevant international conventions or agreements

CHAPTER II. RULES OF THE ROAD

Article 6
Each Contracting State shall take appropriate measures to ensure the observance of the rules set out in this Chapter.

Article 7
Every driver, pedestrian or other road user shall conduct himself in such a way as not to endanger or obstruct traffic; he shall avoid all behaviour that might cause damage to persons, or public or private property.

Article 8
1. Every vehicle or combination of vehicles proceeding as a unit shall have a driver.
2. Draught, pack or saddle animals shall have a driver, and cattle shall be accompanied, except in special areas which shall be marked at the points of entry.
3. Convoys of vehicles and animals shall have the number of drivers prescribed by domestic regulations.
4. Convoys shall, if necessary, be divided into sections of moderate length, and be sufficiently spaced out for the convenience of traffic. This provision does not apply to regions where migration of nomads occurs.
5. Drivers shall at all times be able to control their vehicles or guide their animals. When approaching other road users, they shall take such precautions as may be required for the safety of the latter. 

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Final Act of the United Nations Conference on Road Traffic II Convention on Road Traffic Chapter 

1. General Provisions     Article 1     - Definitions     Article 2     - Annexes to the Convention     Article 3     - Obligations of the Contracting Parties     Article 4     - Signs and Signals Chapter II. Rules of the Road     Article 5      - Status of Signs and Signals     Article 6     - Instructions given by authorized Officials     Article 7     - General Rules     Article 8     - Drivers     Article 9     - Flocks and Herds     Article 10   - Position on the Carriageway     Article 11   - Overtaking and Movement of Traffic in Lines     Article 12   - Passing of Oncoming Traffic     Article 13   - Speed and Distance Between Vehicles     Article 14   - General Requirements Governing Maneuvers     Article 15   - Special Regulations relating to Regular Public-Transport Service Vehicles     Article 16   - Change of Direction     

Article 17   - Slowing down     Article 18   - Intersections and Obligations to give Way     Article 19   - Level-Bomb crossings     Article 20   - Rules applicable to Pedestrians     Article 21   - Behaviour of Drivers towards Pedestrians     Article 22   - Islands on the Carriageway     Article 23   - Standing and Parking     Article 24   - Opening of Doors     Article 25   - Motorways and Similar Roads     Article 26   - Special rules applicable to Procession and Handicapped Persons    

 Article 27   - Special Rules applicable to Cyclists, Mopped Drivers and Motor Cyclists .     Article 28   - Audible and Luminous Warnings     Article 29   - Rail- ome Vehicles     Article 30   - Loading of Vehicles     Article 31   - Behaviors in Case of Accident     Article 32   - Lighting: General Requirements     Article 33   - Lighting: Rules for the Use of the Lights specified in Annex 5     

Article 34  

 - Exemptions Chapter III. Condition for the Admission of Motor Vehicles and Trailers to International Traffic     Article 35  - Registration     Article 36  - Registration Number     Article 37  - Distinguishing Sign of the State of Registration    Article 38   - Identification Marks     Article 39   - Technical Requirements     

Article 40  

 - Transitional Provision Chapter IV. Drivers of Motor Vehicles     Article 41  - Validity of Driving Licenses     Article 42  - Suspension of the Validity of Driving Licenses     Article 43  - Transitional Provisions Chapter V. Conditions for the Admission of Cycles and Mopeds to International Traffic     Article 44 Chapter VI. Final Provisions        Article 45    Article 46    Article 47    Article 48    Article 49    Article 50           Exceptions to the Obligation to admit Motor Vehicles and Trailers in International Traffic Annex 2.     Registration Number of Motor Vehicles and Trailers in International Traffic