Traffic officers: why hand signals override lights and signs

Almost every K53 rule tells you to obey signs, signals and road markings. One thing sits above all of them: a lawful instruction from a traffic officer in uniform. The test checks this from several angles, so it is worth knowing exactly how it works.

The officer comes first

The K53 manual is direct: when an officer is directing traffic, focus on the officer and strictly follow the signal given, because the officer’s signals take precedence over any other traffic signal. The road rules also say you may disobey a road traffic sign or a rule of the road only when a traffic officer orders you to.

In practice this means:

• If an officer waves you through a red robot, you drive through.
• If an officer stops you at a green robot, you stop.
• If an officer directs you onto the right-hand side of a two-way road, for example around an obstruction, you may drive there.
• You may stop on a freeway when a traffic officer tells you to.

Officer hand signals (SS1)

Officers use these signals in heavy congestion, at crash scenes and when robots are not working. The manual lists five:

• Stop for traffic approaching from the front.
• Stop for traffic approaching from the rear.
• Stop for traffic approaching from both the front and the rear.
• Go or proceed, shown in two versions.

Each signal is meant for a particular direction of traffic, so look at which way the officer is facing and which arm is raised. If you are not sure the signal is meant for you, stay stopped and keep watching the officer.

Flag signals (SS2)

Flagmen at road works, and people leading animals across a road, use flags instead of hand signals:

• Stop flag: stop and wait until the proceed flag is shown.
• Proceed flag: you may go.
• Warning flag: slow down and be alert.

You must also stop when a person leading or driving animals such as cattle, horses or sheep signals you to.

Test yourself

These questions come from the K53TestsOnline question bank. Choose an answer to see if you are right.

Test yourselfRoad signs

This traffic officer's hand signal shows that...

ATraffic approaching from the front must turn left.BTraffic approaching from the rear must turn left.CTraffic approaching from the rear must stop.

Practise more road signs questions

Keep learning

• Traffic signs: officer and flag signals
• Road rules: general duties of a driver
• Road rules: compulsory stops
• Traffic lights and arrows: what every robot signal means