FINAL ACT AND RELATED DOCUMENTS
Geneva, 1969 

TABLE OF CONTENTS
FINAL ACT AND RELATED DOCUMENTS

I Page
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-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-bome Vehicles
    Article 30   - Loading of Vehicles
    Article 31   - Behaviors in Case of Accident
    Article 32   - Lighting: General Requirements
    Article 33   - Lighting: Rules ofor 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 Licensess
    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

Article 51 Article 52 Article 53 Article 54 Article 55 Article 56

Annex I.
    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

The Governments of the following states were represented at the conference by the delegation:

Afghanistan Algeria Argentina Australia Austria Belgium Brazil Bulgaria Byelorussian Republic Canada Central African Republic Chile China Costa Rica Cyprus Czechoslovakia Denmark Dominican Republic Ecuador Federal Republic of Germany

Finland France Gabon Ghana Greece Holy See Hungary India Indonesia Iran Israel Italy Japan Kenya Kuwait Liberia Libya Luxembourg Malaysia Mali

Mexico Monaco Netherlands Nigeria Norway Peru Philippines Poland Portugal Republic of Korea Romania Finland France Gabon Ghana Greece Holy See Hungary India Indonesia

Iran Israel Italy Japan Kenya Kuwait Liberia Libya Luxembourg Malaysia Mali Mexico Monaco Netherlands Nigeria Norway Peru Philippines Poland Portugal

Iran Israel Italy Japan Kenya Kuwait Liberia Libya Luxembourg Malaysia Mali Mexico Monaco Netherlands Nigeria Norway Peru Philippines Poland Portugal Republic of Korea

Romania San Marino Saudi Arabia Spain Sudan Sweden Switzerland Thailand Turkey Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic Union of Soviet Socialist Republics United Arab Republic United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland United States of America Venezuela Yugoslavia

The Governments of the following States had observers at the Conference:

Bolivia
Colombia
Cuba
Guatemala
Nicaragua

The International Labour Organization, the World Health Organization and the International Atomic Energy Agency were represented at the Conference in a consultative capacity.

The following organizations were represented at the Conference by observers:

A - Inter-govemmental organizations

    Commission of the European Communities
    Council of Europe
    European Conference of Ministers of Transport
    International Institute for the Unification of Private Law
    League of Arab States
    Organization for the Collaboration of Railways
    Nordic Council

B - Non-governmental organizations

    European Insurance Committee
    International Association for the Prevention of Road Accidents
    International Chamber of Commerce
    International Commission on Illumination
    International confederation of Free Trade Unions
    International Criminal Police Organization
    International Federation of Christian Trade Unions
    International Federation of Senior Police Officers
    International Organization for Standardization
    International Permanent Bureau of Motor Cycle Manufacturers
    International Permanent Bureau of Motor Manufacturers
    International Road Federation
    International Road Transport Union
    International Union of Official Travel Organizations
    International Union of Public Transport
    International Union of Railways
    League of Red Cross Societies
    World Federation of Trade Unions
    World Touring and Automobile Organization

3. The conference had before it and used as a basis for discussion a draft Convention on Road Traffic and a draft Convention on Road Signs and Signals prepared by the Secretary-General.

4. On the basis of its deliberations, as recorded in the summary records of its plenary meetings and in the summary records of the decisions of its main committees, the Conference prepared and opened for signature a Convention on Road Traffic and a Convention on Road Signs and Signals.

5. In addition, the Conference adopted by acclimation the following resolution entitled

"A tribute to the Government and People of the Republic of Austria"

"The United Nations Conference on Road Traffic, at the end of its work in Vienna on 7 November 1968, wishes to express its profound gratitude to the people and Government of Austria and to the City of Vienna for the kind and generous hospitality granted to all delegates at the Conference."

In witness whereof the undersigned representatives have signed this Final Act.

Done at Vienna this eighth day of November one thousand nine hundred and sixty-eight in a single copy in the Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish languages, each text authentic. The original will be deposited with the Secretary-General of the United Nations, who will send certified copies to each of the Governments invited to send representatives to the Conference.

Afghanistan ...................................... .......................   Saadullah Yosufi
Algeria
Argentina..................................................................    Carlos Ortiz de Rozas
Australia....................................................................   John Pennezel
Austria........................................................................  Kurt Waldheim, Otto Mitterer
Belgium...................................................................... Georges Puttevils
Brazil........................................................................... Sylvio Carlos Diniz, Borges
Bulgaria........................................................................Demir Bortschev
Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic.................. Andrei Vasilevich Zubovich
Canada.......................................................................... Gilles Sicotte
Central African Republic
Chile ............................................................................. Miguel Serrano
China............................................................................. Pao-nan Cheng
Costa Rica ....................................... ............................Franz Jos. Haslinger
Cyprus .......................................................................... Dnos Nicolaou Aphamis
Czechoslovakia ................................... .........................Josef Dykast
Denmark ........................................ ...............................Kristian Frosig
Dominican Republic......................................................Theodor Schmidt
Ecuador ......................................... ................................Arseno Larco Diaz
Federal Republic of Germany......................... .............Otto Linder
Finland.......................................... .................................Ensio Helaniemi
France ............................................................................Jean Gabarra
Gabon
Ghana........................................... .................................Jonathan W. Decker
Greece ......................................................................... Odysseus N. Papadakis
Ole See ........................................................................ Gerolamo Prigione
Hungary......................................................................... Laszlo Foldvari
India
Indonesia........................................................................Junus Pohan
Iran ............................................ ....................................Asian Afshar
Israel ............................................................................. Ezra Kamma
Italy............................................ ....................................Lionello Cozzi
Japan ........................................... ..................................Kinya Niseki
Kenya..............................................................................Shashinant Kantihal
Kuwait............................................................................ Mohammad Saad Khadr
Liberia.......................................... ..................................Tilmon Gardinir
Libya ............................................................................. Abdullah Gihril Salah
Luxembourg...................................... ............................Rene Logelin
Malaysia......................................................................... Abdul Fatah Bin Zakaria
Mali................................................................................ Mahamar Maiga
Mexico.......................................... .................................G. Morales Garza
Monaco
Netherlands .................................................................. Johan Kaufmann, Adriaan H. Runberg
Nigeria.......................................... ................................Etim Inyang
Norway ......................................... .............................RolfNormann Torgersen
Peru............................................ ................................Enrique Lafosse
Philippines....................................... ..........................Baltazar Aquino
Poland......................................................................... Jozef.Wojciechowski
Portugal....................................................................... Armando De Paula, Coelho, Antonio Brito da Silva
Republic of Korea ................................. .....................Tong Un Park
Romania......................................... ............................Victor Mateevici
San Marino................................................................. Wilhelm Muller-Femricn
Saudi Arabia............................................................... Abdul Munem Bas
Spain........................................................................... Joaquin Buxo-DuIce
Sudan.......................................................................... Ali Yassin
Sweden ......................................... ............................Bertil G. Homquist
Switzerland ...................................... ........................Oscar Schurch
Thailand...................................................................... Manu Amatayakul
Turkey.......................................... ..............................Gultekin Topcam
Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic........................ Markar Makarovich, Yashnik
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics........................Boris Tikhonovich Shumilin
United Arab Republic................................................ Mahmoud Younis El Ansary, YoussefEzzeldine
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ..... James Richard Madge
United States of America ............................ Wlliam J. Stibravy, Charles W. Prisk, Henry H.
Kelly
Venezuela........................................ ...........................Francisco Azpurua Espinoza
Yugoslavia...................................................................Lazar Moisov
The President of the Conference ...................... ......A. Buzzi Quattrini
The Executive Officer.............................. .................F.D. Masson
 
 

CHAPTER 4

DRIVERS OF MOTOR VEHICLES

ARTICLE 41

Validity of driving license

2. Notwithstanding the provisions of the preceding paragraph:

3. Contracting Parties undertake to adopt such measures as may be necessary to ensure that the domestic and international driver's licenses referred to the in subparagraphs 1(a). (b) and (c) of this Article are not issues in their territories without a reasonable guarantee of the drivers aptitude and physical fitness.

4. For the purpose of the application of paragraph 1 and sub-paragraph 2 (c) of this Article:
(a) A motor vehicle of the category B referred to in Annexes 6 and 7 to this Convention may be coupled to a light trailer, it may also be coupled to a trailer whose permissible maximum weight exceeds 750 kg (1,650 LB) but does not exceed the unloaded with of the motor vehicle if the combined permissible maximum weights of the vehicles so couple does not exceed 3,500 kg (7,700 LB);

(b) A motor vehicle of the category C or of the category D referred to in Annexes 6 and 7 to this convention may be coupled to a light trailer without the resultant combination ceasing to belong to category C or category D.
 

5. An international driver's license shall be issued only to the holder of a domestic driver's license for the issue of which the minimum condition lad down in the Convention has been fulfilled. It shall not be valid after the expiry of the corresponding domestic driver's license.

Article 42

Suspension of the validity of driver's licenses
 

1. Contracting Parties or sub-divisions thereof may withdraw from a driver the right to use his domestic or international driver's license in their territories if he commits in their territories a breach of their regulations rendering him liable under their legislation's to the forfeiture of his license. In such a case the competent authority of the Contracting Party or sub-division thereof withdrawing the right to use the permit may:

(a) Withdrawal and retain international driver's license until the period of the withdrawal of use expires or until the holder leaves its territory, whichever is the earlier;

(b) Notify the withdrawal of the right to use international driver's license, or domestic driver's license to the authority by or on behalf of which the license issued;

(c) In the case of an international driver's license, enter in the space provided for the purpose an endorsement to the effect that the license is no longer valid in its territories;

(d) Where it has not applied the procedure for which provision in made in sub-paragraph (a) of this paragraph, supplement the communication referred to tin sub-paragraph (b) by requesting the authority which issued the license, or on behalf of which the license was issued, to notify the person concerned of the decision taken with regard to him.

2. Contracting Parties shall endeavor to notify the persons concerned of the decisions communicated to them in accordance with the procedure laid down in paragraph 1(d) of this Article.

3. Nothing in this Convention shall be constructed as prohibiting Contracting Parties or sub-divisions thereof from preventing a driver holding a domestic or international driver's license from driving if its is evident or proved that his condition is such that he is unable to drive safely or if the right to drive has been withdrawn from him in the State in which he has his normal residence.

Article 43

Transitional provisions