Road traffic control

Road Traffic Control

Road Traffic Control (pronounced: /roʊd ˈtræfɪk kənˈtroʊl/) is a system or measure designed to direct or regulate the flow of vehicles and pedestrians on roads and highways to enhance safety and efficiency.

Etymology

The term "Road Traffic Control" is derived from three English words: "Road", "Traffic", and "Control". "Road" (Old English: rād) refers to a wide way leading from one place to another, especially one with a specially prepared surface. "Traffic" (Early 19th century: from French traffique, Spanish tráfico, or Italian traffico) pertains to the movement of vehicles, ships, persons, etc., in an area or over a route. "Control" (Middle English (originally as a legal term denoting the checking of accounts): from Anglo-Norman French contreroller ‘keep a copy of a roll of accounts’, from medieval Latin contrarotulare, from contrarotulus ‘copy of a roll’, from contra- ‘against’ + rotulus ‘a roll’) signifies the power to influence or direct people's behavior or the course of events.

Related Terms

Traffic light: A traffic control device positioned at road intersections, pedestrian crossings, and other locations to control competing flows of traffic.
Traffic sign: Signs erected at the side of or above roads to give instructions or provide information to road users.
Traffic enforcement camera: A camera used to detect and enforce laws related to traffic movement, such as speed limit violations or running a red light.
Traffic congestion: A condition on transport networks that occurs as use increases, characterized by slower speeds, longer trip times, and increased vehicular queueing.
Traffic island: A solid or painted object in a road that channelizes traffic.
Traffic police: Police officers who direct traffic or serve in a traffic or roads policing unit enforcing rules of the road.