TRAFFIC SIGN ANALYSIS AS A FUNCTION OF TRAFFIC SAFETY ON CROATIAN STATE ROAD D3

Traffic systems are dynamic systems where many conflicting situations may result in traffic accidents. The analysis of possible causes of accidents showed that there are four main factors contributing to their occurrence: human, vehicle, road and environment. Road as a safety factor is characterized by a number of elements such as: road route, technical elements, pavement condition, equipment and road lightning, intersections, etc. An important element of traffic safety is road equipment, including traffic signs. Traffic signs are elements defined as a set of specially coded labels intended for traffic participants, located in the vertical plane with respect to the traffic area and they represent the basic means of communication between the authorities and road users. Improper installation and maintenance of traffic signs can affect the process of signs perception and quality of transmitted messages, thus affecting the drivers' reaction and general traffic safety. For these reasons, traffic sign inspection should be conducted at least once a year to test their retroreflection and other technical characteristics. In this article an analysis of retroreflective and technical characteristics of road signs on state road D3 in Zagrebacka County will be presented. The main objective of the detailed analysis is to gain insight into the condition and quality of traffic signs on the road.