Editing Traffic code

{{Short description|Traffic regulations, laws, and rules}}
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{{More citations needed|date=December 2009}}
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'''Traffic codes''' are laws that generally include provisions relating to the establishment of authority and enforcement procedures, statement of the [[Traffic#Rules of the road|rules of the road]], and other safety provisions.  Administrative regulations for [[driver license|driver licensing]], vehicle ownership and [[Registry of Motor Vehicles|registration]], [[insurance]], vehicle safety [[inspection]]s and [[parking violation]]s may also be included, though not always directly related to driving safety.  Violations of traffic code (i.e., a "[[moving violation]]") are often dealt with by forfeiting a [[Fine (penalty)|fine]] in response to receiving a valid citation ("getting a [[Ticket (notification)|ticket]]").  Other violations, such as [[drunk driving]] or vehicular [[homicide]] are handled through the [[Criminal law|criminal]] courts, although there may also be [[lawsuit|civil]] and administrative cases that arise from the same violation (including payment of [[damages]] and loss of driving privileges).  In some jurisdictions, there is a separate [[Code Enforcement|code-enforcement]] branch of government that handles illegal parking and other non-moving violations (e.g., noise and other emissions, illegal equipment).  Elsewhere, there may be multiple overlapping [[police]] agencies patrolling for violations of state or federal driving regulations.

==United States==
{{Main|Traffic code in the United States}}
For the [[traffic code in the United States]], each state has its own traffic code, although most of the rules of the road are similar for the purpose of uniformity, given that all states grant reciprocal driving privileges (and [[Traffic Violations Reciprocity|penalties]]) to each other's licensed drivers. There is also a "[[Uniform Vehicle Code]]" which has been proposed by a private, non-profit group, based upon input by its members.  As with many such offerings, some states adopt selected portions as written, or else with modifications, and others create their own versions.  Similarly, most states have adopted relevant standards for signs and signals, based upon the [[Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices]] from the U.S. Department of Transportation.  Many of the standard rules of the road involve consistent interpretation of the standard signs and signals, such as what to do when approaching a stop sign, or the driving requirements imposed by a [[double yellow line]] on the street or highway.  Many federal departments have also adopted their own traffic code for enforcement on their respective reservations (e.g., national parks, military bases).

== Other countries ==
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Most countries define national legislation relative to car driving and penalties. Most of those regulations have some common basis to help people driving between countries. International conventions such as the [[Vienna Convention on Road Traffic]] and [[Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals]] have helped in harmonization of traffic laws across countries.

Road, driving and traffic regulations are the subject to specific [[codification (law)|codification of the law]] in countries such as:
* Austria: ''{{lang|de|Straßenverkehrsordnung (StVO)}}''
* Brazil: ''{{lang|pt|Código de Trânsito Brasileiro}}'' (Brazilian Traffic Code), based on the Vienna Convention
* Canada (Manitoba): The ''{{lang|fr|Codification Permanente des Lois du Manitoba}}'' contains legislation called "Highway Traffic Act", translated as ''{{lang|fr|Code de la route}}'' in French (chapter H 060).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://web2.gov.mb.ca/laws/statutes/ccsm/h060f.php |title=Code de la route |publisher=Government of Manitoba |access-date=2011-10-25}}</ref>
* Canada (Quebec): {{lang|fr|[[:fr:Code de la sécurité routière (Québec)|Code de la sécurité routière]]}} (Highway Safety Code)
* Cuba: ''Código de Seguridad Vial'' (Road Safety Code)
* Estonia: ''{{lang|et|Liikluseeskiri}}''
* France: ''{{lang|fr|Code de la route}}''
* Germany: ''{{lang|de|[[s:de:Straßenverkehrs-Ordnung (Deutschland)|Straßenverkehrs-Ordnung (StVO)]]}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/stvo_2013/|title=StVO 2013 - nichtamtliches Inhaltsverzeichnis |publisher=[[Federal Ministry of Justice (Germany)|Bundesministerium der Justiz]] |access-date=2023-09-25}}</ref>''
* Greece: ''{{lang|el|Κώδικας Οδικής Κυκλοφορίας}}''
* Italy: ''{{lang|it|Codice della strada}}''
* Lithuania: ''{{lang|lt|Kelių eismo taisyklės (KET)}}'' 
* Luxembourg: In Luxembourg, the equivalent legislation is called ''Code de la route'' and is considered ''codes-loi'' ("law-code")<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legilux.public.lu/leg/textescoordonnes/codes/index.html#code_route |title=Legilux - Codes-Loi |publisher=Legilux.public.lu |access-date=2011-10-25}}</ref> or ''recueil de Législation Routière''.
* Malta: ''[[The Highway Code (Malta)|The Highway Code]]''
* Nigeria: ''Highway Code''
* Philippines: ''[[Traffic law in the Philippines|Land Transportation and Traffic Code]] (Republic Act No. 4136)''
* Poland: ''{{lang|pl|Prawo o ruchu drogowym}}''
* Portugal: ''{{lang|pt|Código da estrada}}''
* Romania: {{lang|ro|Codul rutier}}
* Russia: ''{{lang|ru|[[s:ru:Правила дорожного движения Российской Федерации|Правила дорожного движения Российской Федерации]]}}''
* Switzerland: ''{{lang|de|Verkehrsregelnverordnung (VRV)}}''
* Turkey: ''{{lang|tr|[[:tr:Karayolları Trafik Kanunu|Karayolları Trafik Kanunu]]}}''
* Ukraine: ''{{lang|uk|[[:uk:Правила дорожнього руху|Правила дорожнього руху]]}}''

In Morocco, the law ''loi n°52-05 portant code de la route'' deals with a new traffic code, approved on 14 January 2009<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mtpnet.gov.ma/MET_New/Fr/MenuServices/code+de+la+route/Textes+Juridiques/La+loi+52.05+relative+au+code+de+la+route.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100221050838/http://www.mtpnet.gov.ma/MET_New/Fr/MenuServices/code+de+la+route/Textes+Juridiques/La+Loi+52.05+relative+au+code+de+la+route.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=2010-02-21 |title=Ministère de l'Equipement et du Transport |publisher=Mtpnet.gov.ma |date=2009-01-14 |access-date=2011-10-25 }}</ref> and adopted on 11 February 2010 (26 Safar 1431 in the [[Islamic calendar]]).

Belgium traffic code regulation is not a code although it is road traffic specific. It is defined by ''Koninklijk besluit houdende algemeen reglement op de politie van het wegverkeer en van het gebruik van de openbare weg. [KB. 09.12.1975]''.

In Switzerland, this legislation is not considered a code as it is law number 741.01.

In the United Kingdom there is no codification. Some laws, such as a [[Road Traffic Act 1988]] and a [[Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions]], do exist; a manual titled ''[[Highway Code]]'' is edited by a public entity with guidelines based on and/or compatible with local law.

In European Union law, legislation is more oriented on transport competition and not on sharing the road. There is some effort oriented to issues such as driver's license and car control.

See also:
* [[Australian Road Rules]] about legislation and rules and their history in Australia

See also small-mini-drafts:
* [[New Zealand Road Code]] about the official and public learning book of New Zealand
* [[Road rules in Hong Kong]] where there is no single act governing rules of the road like other jurisdictions.
* [[Rules of the Road (Ireland)]]
* ''[[Highway Traffic Act]]'' (Ontario, Canada)

==See also==
*[[Traffic]]
*[[Vehicle registration plate]]
*[[Vienna Convention on Road Traffic]]
*[[Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals]]
*''[[Highway Code]]'', the equivalent document in the [[United Kingdom|UK]]
*[[Uniform Vehicle Code]], as implemented by individual [[jurisdiction]]s in the [[United States|US]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Traffic law}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Traffic Code}}
[[Category:Traffic law]]
[[Category:Rules of the road]]
[[Category:United States transportation law]]