The Traffic Signs Rules

Legal Notice 310 of 1974

This is the latest version of this Legal Notice.

The Traffic Signs Rules

Citation: Legal Notice 310 of 1974
Primary work: Traffic Act
Date: 31 December 2022
Language: English
Type: Legal Notice
Original enactment: Download original enactment (PDF) (3.8 MB)

TRAFFIC ACT

THE TRAFFIC SIGNS RULES

LEGAL NOTICE 310 OF 1974

Published in Kenya Gazette Vol. LXXVI—No. 60 on 20 December 1974
Commenced on 1 January 1975

[Amended by Traffic (Signs) (Amendment) Rules, 2011 (Legal Notice 140 of 2011) on 30 September 2011]
[Revised by 24th Annual Supplement (Legal Notice 221 of 2023) on 31 December 2022]

1. Citation.

These Rules may be cited as the Traffic Signs Rules.

2. Interpretation.

In these Rules, unless the context otherwise requires—"carriageway marking" means a traffic sign consisting of a line or mark placed on the carriageway of a road;"Class" in relation to any traffic sign means a sign of the appropriate class specified in rule 3;"kerb marking" means a traffic sign consisting of a line or mark placed on an upstanding kerb along a road;"longitudinal line" means a line placed on the carriageway of a road and following approximately the direction of traffic flow;"mandatory requirement" means the prohibition, regulation or restriction imposed by a traffic sign;"traffic sign" includes any rectangular plate, bearing an inscription or symbol or miniature symbol or any combination thereof, which has been authorized by a highway authority and lawfully erected therewith;"transverse line" means a line placed on the carriageway of a road transversely to the traffic flow and extending across that portion of the road, or the traffic lanes, to which it applies.

3. Classification of traffic signs.

For the purposes of these Rules traffic signs shall be classified as follows—Class A — Regulatory Signs:Class B — Warning Signs;Class C — Traffic Light Signals;Class D — Carriageway Markings and Kerb Markings.

4. Legibility

(1)Every traffic sign shall be so erected or demarcated as to be clearly visible to drivers to whom it is intended to apply.

(2)No traffic sign shall be deemed to be unlawful merely because it is damaged or defaced or does not conform entirely to any requirement of these Rules provided that its significance is reasonably capable of being understood.

5. Design.

(1)Subject to the provisions of section 70 of the Act—

(a)every traffic sign of Class A and Class B shall—

(i)conform to the appropriate dimensions specified in the Schedule to these Rules; and

(ii)so far as possible conform to the shape and relative proportions illustrated in relation thereto in the said Schedule; and

(iii)conform to the colour specified in relation thereto in the said Schedule; and

(b)the average thickness of each stroke forming part of a letter or numeral displayed on a traffic sign of Class A, Class B or Class C shall be not less than one-seventh of the height of such letter or numeral.

(2)A highway authority may, in respect of any traffic sign of Class A or Class B in the Schedule to these Rules, and subject to the provisions of paragraph (1) of this rule—

(a)add a rectangular plate bearing an inscription or symbol or miniature symbol or any combination thereof; or

(b)vary the direction of any symbol in the form of an arrow; or

(c)substitute any other word or numeral that is appropriate,

to such extent only as may be necessary for the purpose of regulating or restricting the use of vehicles or conveying a warning by means of such traffic sign.

6. Effect of traffic signs of Class A.

(1)The significance of each of the traffic signs of Class A except those numbered P29, P30, P39, P40 and M11 shall be a mandatory requirement and shall, save in the case of one which prohibits, regulates or restricts the parking or waiting of any vehicle, apply to all drivers who approach the face of such sign from the front and who pass, or would but for the presence of such sign be at liberty lawfully to pass, beyond such sign on to any road or part thereof governed or affected thereby.

(2)The prohibition, regulation or restriction of the parking or waiting of any vehicles signified by a traffic sign of Class A (other than one which merely indicates the point of entry to a controlled parking zone) shall apply to that side of the road at which it is situated so however that the indication given by such a sign shall cease to apply beyond any junction on that side with another road.

7. Types and meaning of abbreviations.

Any of the following abbreviations may be displayed on a traffic sign of Class A or Class B in conjunction with a numeral, and each such abbreviation shall have the meaning hereinafter respectively assigned to it—

Abbreviation	Meaning
kg	kilograms
km	kilometres
kph	kilometres per hour
m	metres.
min	minutes
T	metric tons (i.e. megagrams)

8. Class A. Regulatory signs.

Subject to the provisions of these Rules, the traffic signs of Class A and their significance shall be as set out under Class A in the Schedule to these Rules.

9. Class B. Warning signs.

Subject to the provisions of these Rules, the traffic signs of Class B and their significance shall be as set out under Class B in the Schedule to these Rules.

10. Class C. Traffic light signals.

A traffic light signal unit may be used for controlling the movement of vehicles subject to the following provisions—

(a)three lights shall be used each with a lens facing the stream of traffic which the signal is intended to control, one red, one amber and one green;

(b)the lenses showing the colours aforesaid shall be arranged vertically, the red lens uppermost and the green lens lowermost;

(c)each lens shall be separately illuminated, and the effective diameter thereof shall be not less than 200 millimetres nor more than 300 millimetres:

(d)the height of the centre of the green lens from the carriageway shall be not less than 2.25 metres except that—

(i)where desirable owing to the gradient of any road this height may be increased to not more than 3.0 metres; and

(ii)in the case of a suspended traffic light signal unit such height shall be not less than 5.0 metres when measured perpendicularly from the ground;

(e)the centres of the lenses shall be not more than 400 millimetres apart:

(f)the unit casing shall be painted black or grey and any post used to support the same shall be painted grey:

(g)the word "STOP" in black lettering may be placed upon the red lens and subject to the provisions of rule 12 no other lettering or symbol shall be used upon that or any other lens or in connexion with such unit;

(h)the sequence of the lights shown for the purpose of controlling the movement of vehicles shall be—

(i)red;

(ii)red and amber;

(iii)green;

(iv)amber.

11. Significance of traffic rights for vehicles

The significance of the lights specified in rule 10 when illuminated shall be as follows—

(a)the red light imposes a mandatory requirement that every vehicle travelling in that portion of the road or in the traffic lane to which that light applies shall stop before crossing the continuous white transverse line placed on the carriageway and shall prohibit such crossing until—

(i)the green light is illuminated; and

(ii)such crossing can be accomplished without endangering or inconveniencing any other vehicle;

(b)the amber and red lights shown together shall be taken to denote an impending change in the indication given by the traffic light signals from a red to a green light, but shall not in any way affect the mandatory requirement imposed by the red light;

(c)the green light indicates that all vehicles may cross the said continuous white transverse line with due regard to the safety of other road users and subject to the directions of any police officer in uniform or other authorized person who may be engaged in the regulation of traffic:

(d)the amber light shown alone imposes a mandatory requirement that every vehicle travelling in the carriageway or traffic lane to which that light applies shall stop before crossing the said continuous white transverse line, except in the case of any vehicle which, when that light is first illuminated, is so close to that line that it cannot safely be stopped before crossing that line;

(e)notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this rule—

(i)where a green arrow is shown in conjunction with a traffic light signal, a vehicle may proceed in the direction indicated by such arrow with due regard to the safety of other road users during such time as such arrow remains illuminated notwithstanding that it would otherwise be required by such signal to stop;

(ii)where necessary a highway authority may apply any additional restriction of direction by indications on or near a traffic light signal.

12. Traffic lights and their significance for pedestrians.

(1)A pedestrian traffic light signal unit may be used for controlling the movement of pedestrians, and in such case the unit shall incorporate either—

(a)a light facing across the carriageway with a lens which, when illuminated, shows either the words "CROSS" or "CROSS NOW" in white or green letters, or the figure of a walking pedestrian in green, against a black background; or

(b)two lights arranged vertically, each with a lens the centres of which are not more than 400 millimetres apart facing across the carriageway, the uppermost lens of which, when illuminated, shows the word "WAIT" in red letters or the figure of a stationary pedestrian in red, against a black background, and the lowermost lens of which, when illuminated, shows the words "CROSS" or "CROSS NOW" in white or green letters or the figure of a walking pedestrian in green, against a black background.

(2)Each lens of a traffic light signal unit under this rule shall be separately illuminated, and the effective diameter thereof shall be not less than 200 millimetres nor more than 300 millimetres.

(3)The significance of the lights specified in this rule when illuminated shall be as follows—

(a)a white or green light indicates that pedestrians may commence and continue to cross the carriageway controlled by that light, within the area delineated by a carriageway marking consisting of two continuous white transverse lines, with due regard to the safety of other road users;

(b)a red light imposes a mandatory requirement that—

(i)pedestrians on such crossing place shall as soon as reasonably practicable give way to any traffic on the carriageway;

(ii)no pedestrian shall attempt or commence to cross the carriageway until the red light is extinguished.

(4)Any pedestrian who fails to comply with the mandatory requirement imposed by the red light under subparagraph (b) of paragraph (3) of this rule shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding five hundred shillings.

13. Temporary traffic lights.

A traffic light signal unit may be used for the purpose of temporarily controlling the movement of vehicles on a road where road works are in progress, or where for some other reason the width of the carriageway is temporarily restricted in which case the provisions of rules 11 and 12 shall apply thereto save that—

(a)references to crossing a continuous white transverse line placed on the carriageway shall in the absence of such a line be deemed to include a reference to passing beyond the point where such unit is situated;

(b)the height of the centre of the green lens from the carriageway shall be not less than 1.50 metres and not greater than 2.30 metres;

(c)the amber signal may be excluded from such unit in which case it shall be so constructed that the red and the green lights are not illuminated at the same time and that the illumination of one shall follow the other without any appreciable interval of time;

(d)the legs which support such unit shall be painted in grey or in alternate black and white horizontal bands of equal width.

14. Class D. Carriageway markings and Kerb markings.

Subject to the provisions of the Act and these Rules, carriageway markings and kerb markings may be used for the purpose of conveying a warning or information to drivers, or imposing a mandatory requirement to be obeyed by the driver of a vehicle of any kind.

15. Colour and width of road markings.

(1)Carriageway markings relating to the regulation of opposing traffic flows and kerb markings to control the parking or stopping of vehicles shall be coloured yellow, and all other carriageway or kerb markings shall be coloured white.

(2)All lines forming part of a carriageway marking shall be at least 100 millimetres wide:Provided that no carriageway marking shall be deemed to be unlawful merely because any such line is less than 100 millimetres wide if the line is clearly visible.

16. Yellow longitudinal lines.

(1)A carriageway marking consisting of one or two continuous yellow longitudinal lines shall impose a mandatory requirement that every vehicle being driven along the length of road to which the marking applies shall be so driven as to keep the marking on the right-hand or off-side of the vehicle.

(2)A carriageway marking consisting of a continuous yellow longitudinal line in conjunction with a broken yellow longitudinal line shall prohibit the crossing or straddling of the continuous line by every vehicle being driven along the length of road to which the marking applies, unless—

(a)the broken line is crossed or straddled immediately before the continuous line is crossed or straddled; or

(b)the lines are crossed for the purpose of returning to the left hand side of the road following a crossing or straddling which was lawful under subparagraph (a); and

(c)in either case, such crossing or straddling can be accomplished without endangering or inconveniencing any vehicle travelling along the road.

17. White longitudinal lines.

(1)A carriageway marking consisting of a continuous white longitudinal line; other than a line used to define the extreme outer edge of the carriageway, shall prohibit the crossing or straddling of that line by every vehicle being driven along the length or road to which the marking applies.

(2)A carriageway marking consisting of a continuous white longitudinal line accompanied by a broken white longitudinal line shall prohibit the crossing or straddling of the continuous line by every vehicle being driven along the length of road to which the marking applies, unless—

(a)the broken line is crossed or straddled immediately before the continuous line is crossed or straddled; and

(b)such crossing or straddling can be accomplished without endangering or inconveniencing any vehicle travelling along the road.

(3)A carriageway marking consisting of a broken white longitudinal line shall prohibit the crossing or straddling of that line by every vehicle being driven along the length of road to which the marking applies at any time when such crossing or straddling would endanger or inconvenience any vehicle travelling in the traffic lane which is being encroached upon.

18. Transverse lines.

A carriageway marking consisting of a continuous or broken white transverse line shall impose a mandatory requirement that every vehicle travelling along the portion of the road or in the traffic lane to which the marking applies shall, before crossing the line, comply with the indication of any accompanying traffic sign of Class A or Class C and shall not proceed beyond such line if to do so would inconvenience or endanger any vehicle.

19. Kerb markings.

A kerb marking consisting of a continuous yellow line, whether accompanied by another traffic sign or not, shall prohibit the stopping of any vehicle, other than a bicycle, on the length of road adjacent thereto between the two ends of the marking, otherwise than for as long as may be necessary—

(a)to comply with the movement of traffic or the requirements of another traffic sign; or

(b)to enable a person to board or to alight from the vehicle; or

(c)to enable goods to be loaded on to or unloaded from the vehicle.

20. Hatched areas.

A carriageway marking comprising an area hatched with white or yellow diagonal lines bounded by continuous lines of the same colour shall prohibit the crossing or straddling of such continuous lines by every vehicle unless the size or construction of a vehicle renders it necessary for such area to be encroached upon and the encroachment is no more than is reasonable in all the circumstances.

21. Pedestrian crossings.

(1)A carriageway marking consisting of a series of white longitudinal strips extending transversely across the width of the carriageway accompanied by the traffic sign numbered 130 of Class A in the Schedule to these Rules shall indicate a crossing place for pedestrians and shall impose a mandatory requirement that every vehicle approaching such crossing place shall give way to any pedestrian crossing the area of carriageway indicated by the strips.

(2)A carriageway marking consisting of two white transverse lines accompanied by the traffic sign numbered P27B of Class A in the Schedule to these Rules or a traffic sign of Class C shall indicate a crossing place for pedestrians and shall impose a mandatory requirement that every vehicle approaching such crossing place shall comply with the indication given by such traffic sign and not encroach upon the indicated area of carriageway between the lines if to do so would endanger or inconvenience a pedestrian thereon.

(3)Any pedestrian at or in the immediate vicinity of any such crossing place as is mentioned in this rule who is respectively using, or intending to make use of, such crossing place shall, with due regard to the indication being given to traffic by any accompanying traffic sign of Class C governing that crossing place and in every case to the convenience and safety of other road users, commence and continue to cross the area of carriageway indicated and shall, when crossing, as soon as reasonably practicable, give way to traffic on the carriageway.

(4)Any pedestrian who fails to comply with any of the provisions of sub-rule (3) of this rule shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding five hundred shillings.

22. Restricted parking limits.

A carriageway marking consisting of two or more continuous white transverse lines accompanied by any traffic sign of Class A indicating that parking or waiting is prohibited or restricted to vehicles of a specified type shall prohibit or restrict the waiting, within the area bounded by the outermost lines, of any vehicle other than one of the specified types.

22A. Red reflecting warning triangle signs.

(1)All motor vehicles, whether registered in Kenya or in another country shall, when being driven in any part of Kenya be equipped with two red reflecting warning triangle signs of such constructions and dimensions as may be prescribed.

(2)A red reflecting warning triangle sign under Rule 22A(1) shall be displayed to a police officer in uniform upon request.[L.N. 140/2011, r. 2.]

23. Exemptions.

(1)The mandatory requirement of a traffic sign of Class D shall not apply—

(a)to a vehicle being used for fire brigade, ambulance or police purposes so long as the disregard of such traffic sign is essential in all the circumstances of the case and does not endanger any other vehicle:

(b)to anything done by a vehicle through circumstances beyond the control of the driver, or to avoid an accident;

(c)to anything done in order to pass a stationary vehicle or other obstruction so long as the disregard of such traffic sign is essential for that purpose and such passing may be accomplished without endangering or inconveniencing any other vehicle;

(d)to anything done with the permission of, or to comply with any direction given by, a police officer in uniform or other authorized person who may be engaged in the regulation of traffic.

(2)The mandatory requirement of a carriageway marking consisting of one continuous yellow longitudinal line shall not apply to a vehicle joining or leaving the road on the carriageway of which such line is placed so long as such manoeuvre can be accomplished without endangering or inconveniencing any other vehicle.

24. Offences and penalties.

(1)Subject to the provisions of paragraph (2) of this rule the driver of any vehicle who fails to comply with any prohibition or other mandatory requirement of a traffic sign of Class A or Class C or a carriageway marking shall be guilty of an offence and liable—

(a)in the case of a first conviction for such offence, to a fine not exceeding two thousand shillings or imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months, or to both such fine and imprisonment;

(b)in the case of a second or subsequent conviction for such offence, to a fine not exceeding five thousand shillings or imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year, or to both such fine and imprisonment.

(2)The driver of any vehicle who fails to comply with any prohibition or other mandatory requirement of a kerb marking, or a carriageway marking under rule 22 and the accompanying traffic sign, or a traffic sign relating to the parking or waiting of any vehicle, shall be guilty of an offence and liable—

(a)in the case of a first conviction for such offence, to a fine not exceeding one thousand shillings;

(b)in the case of a second or subsequent conviction for such offence, to a fine not exceeding two thousand shillings or imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months, or to both such fine and imprisonment.

25. Penalty for damaging traffic signs.

Any person who wilfully damages, defaces or displaces a traffic sign shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding one thousand shillings.

26. Saving

(1)Nothing in these Rules shall affect the validity or significance of any traffic sign specified in the Eighth Schedule to the Traffic Rules (now revoked) which was in existence at or immediately before the date of commencement of these Rules so long as such sign conforms to the requirements of the said Schedule.

(2)After the date of commencement of these Rules no highway authority shall cause or permit to be placed on or near a road any traffic sign for any of the purposes specified in these Rules which does not comply with the provisions of these Rules.

27. [Spent]

SCHEDULE [rr. 5, 8, 9]

TRAFFIC SIGNS

Dimensions

That part of a traffic sign of Class A or Class B, other than a symbol, which consists of—

(a)a triangle, shall be equilateral with outer sides of not less than 700 millimetres measured between each actual or theoretical corner;

(b)a circle, shall be of a diameter of not less than 600 millimetres:

Provided that in any municipality as defined in regulation 2(1) of the Local Government Act (Cap. 265), the diameter may be of not less than 300 millimetres;

(c)an octagon, shall be regular and of a perpendicular height measured between the centres of any two opposite sides of not less than 700 millimetres;

(d)a rectangle, shall be of sides of not less than 100 millimetres and 300 millimetres respectively.

Colour

Every part of a traffic sign of Class A and Class B shall correspond with the colour signified by the shading illustrated in the following colour code and shown on the diagram of that sign, except that in the absence of shading the corresponding part of each traffic sign shall be white and, unless otherwise indicated, every symbol and all lettering and numbering thereon shall be black: