The National Rulebook for Road Safety
- Course Number: C1004
- Credits: 3 hours
- Instructor: Ellen Huang, PE
- Price: $30
Course Outline
This course provides a clear and accessible introduction to the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD)—the national rulebook that governs signs, signals, markings, and other traffic control devices across all public and publicly-accessible roads in the United States. Drawing on engineering principles, human-factor science, and legal standards, the course explains how uniformity improves safety, reduces liability, and ensures consistent communication for all road users. Participants will gain insight into the MUTCD’s historical development, legal authority, organizational structure, and the scientific basis behind its color codes, sign placement rules, perception-reaction assumptions, retroreflectivity requirements, and more.
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this course, the student will:
- Be able to identify the purpose, scope, and legal foundation of the MUTCD.
- Be able to describe the human-factor principles and engineering science that drive uniformity in signs, markings, and signals.
- Be able to describe the major components and structure of the MUTCD and how to use them.
- Be able to recognize common compliance issues and the safety consequences of non-uniform traffic control.