Theory Mastery

Regelaar politie stopteken

A stop signal or instruction from an authorised person outranks traffic lights, signs and rules, so also a green light. Only persons who are authorised AND recognisable as such, like police, marechaussee, customs and authorised traffic controllers, give instructions you must follow.

Source: RVV 1990 art. 82 · checked 2026-10-23

How the exam asks it

In a tailback on a provincial road near Zwolle a motorist gets out of his car. In ordinary clothes he stands beside the road and waves his arms to direct the traffic. What do you do with his signals?

  1. You only follow them once he puts on a yellow vest
  2. You follow them, because he is clearly directing traffic
  3. You keep an eye on him, but you need not follow them
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Correct answer: You keep an eye on him, but you need not follow them

False — you confuse confident behaviour with authority. Only persons who are authorised AND recognisable as such, like police, marechaussee, customs and authorised traffic controllers, give instructions you must follow.

Why learners get this wrong: A bystander who puts on a yellow vest and directs traffic must be followed; the vest makes him a traffic controller.

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You are approaching a junction in Deventer. Your traffic light turns green, but a uniformed police officer standing on the junction clearly signals with a gesture that you must stop. What do you do?

  1. You drive on, because only a stop sign or red lamp from the officer counts
  2. You drive on, because the green light overrides the officer's gesture
  3. You stop, because the officer's gesture overrides the green light
Show the answer

Correct answer: You stop, because the officer's gesture overrides the green light

False — you think a gesture only counts with a stop sign or red lamp added. An authorised, recognisable officer may also instruct you with a hand or arm gesture or by voice, and you follow that instruction.

Why learners get this wrong: A hand gesture from an officer is only a request; only a stop sign or a red lamp from the police must be followed.

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At a primary school in Zwolle a traffic warden holds up his stop sign while a group of children crosses, and you stop. Your passenger says: 'A warden like that may also stop cars elsewhere in town, just like the police.' Is that true?

  1. True
  2. False
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Correct answer: False

False — you turn the warden into a general traffic officer. A traffic warden may make drivers stop to help children cross; that power belongs to that task and does not apply everywhere, as it does for the police.

Why learners get this wrong: A traffic warden (verkeersbrigadier) may make you stop anywhere on the road, not just at a crossing point for children.

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In The Hague you approach a crossing with the tram. Your traffic light is green. An escort of the tram, not in police uniform, holds up a red flag towards you. What do you do?

  1. You drive on, because only a police officer may make you stop
  2. You stop, because the tram escort may stop you with the flag
  3. You drive on, because your green light outranks the flag signal
Show the answer

Correct answer: You stop, because the tram escort may stop you with the flag

False — you let the traffic light beat a person who is stopping you. A stop signal or instruction from an authorised person outranks traffic lights, signs and rules, so also a green light. (VekaBest theorieboek, Hoofdstuk 3 §3.4 'Aanwijzingen' p.58-59 + Hoofdstuk 14 F10 p.242)

Why learners get this wrong: An escort of a rail vehicle (for example a tram) waving a red flag is not police, so you don't have to obey that stop signal.

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At the exit of a tram depot in The Hague a tram is pulling out onto the road. A tram escort stands on the carriageway holding a stop sign (F10) that says 'Tram' next to 'Stop'. There is no police nearby. What do you do?

  1. You drive on; only a stop signal from the police counts
  2. You stop; 'Tram' only says who is making you stop here
  3. You drive on; with 'Tram' on it the sign is a warning
Show the answer

Correct answer: You stop; 'Tram' only says who is making you stop here

False — you think only the police may make you stop. When a tram escort shows a stop sign, a red flag or a red lamp, you must stop; that power is separate from the police.

Why learners get this wrong: An escort of a rail vehicle (for example a tram) waving a red flag is not police, so you don't have to obey that stop signal.

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