Theory Mastery

Military colonne and funeral procession: priority and cutting through

What the exam asks here: 'No cutting through' is the fact everyone remembers about a colonne or procession — and therefore exactly the fact whose conditions get dropped.

14 minutes · 7 sections · 9 questions

The trap

Many learners think: You may never cut through a military colonne or funeral procession, not even before the first vehicle has passed or on a priority road.

The rule is: Before the first vehicle has passed, the ordinary priority rules simply apply; after the first vehicle, the no-cutting-through rule applies, except on a priority road or when merging.

Challenge

'No cutting through' is the fact everyone remembers about a colonne or procession — and therefore exactly the fact whose conditions get dropped. Before the first vehicle, the ordinary rules simply apply; after the first vehicle, there are two named exceptions. And a military colonne and a funeral procession are not the same everywhere, even though they are often treated as one category in class.

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The model

Before the first vehicle (blue flag): ordinary priority rules apply (Book p.114). After the first vehicle: no cutting through — except on a priority road or when merging (Book p.115). At a traffic light: a colonne may proceed on green, even mid-junction; a procession must stop at red (Book p.116).

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Core

A military colonne is recognisable by a blue flag on the first vehicle and a green flag on the last (Book p.113). Before the first vehicle has passed, no diverging priority rules apply — you simply treat it as ordinary traffic (Book p.114). Once the first vehicle has passed, you may no longer cut through the colonne or procession (Book p.114-115). On a priority road or when merging, that cutting through is allowed after all (Book p.115). At a junction with a traffic light it diverges: a military colonne may proceed on a green light, even if the colonne would then still be mid-junction; a funeral procession must stop at a red light (Book p.116) — colonne and procession are therefore not equal here. One last, cross-chapter detail: a military colonne and a funeral procession are exempt from the ordinary duty to give way to pedestrians on a crossing.

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Why it matters

Cutting through after the first vehicle literally tears the colonne or procession in two — precisely what the rule aims to prevent. Conversely, the asymmetry at the traffic light is not a minor detail: someone who mistakes a funeral procession for a colonne wrongly expects it to proceed on red, when in fact it stops.

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Active recall

At an Action in Kerkrade you are driving on a priority road. The first vehicle (blue flag) of a military colonne has already passed; the last one (green flag) has not yet. You want to cross. What may you do?

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Teach back

Explain: when may you cut through a military colonne or funeral procession after all, and how do colonne and procession differ at a junction with a traffic light?

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Memory hook

Before blue: ordinary. After blue: no cutting through — except priority road/merging. At a light: colonne proceeds on green, procession stops at red.

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Source: RVV 1990 art. 49 · RVV 1990 art. 78 · checked 2026-10-22

The picture

Colonne/funeral procession: when cutting through is allowed, and where colonne and procession differMilitary colonneFuneral processionRecognition (p.113)blue flag at the front, green flag at the backblue flag at the front, green flag at the backCutting through after the 1st vehicle (p.114-115)prohibited, except priority road/mergingprohibited, except priority road/mergingJunction with traffic light (p.116)may proceed on green, even mid-junctionmust stop at redZebra pedestrians (RVV art. 49 para 2)exempt from the priority dutyexempt from the priority duty
What to look at: Blue flag = first vehicle, green flag = last. Before 1st vehicle: ordinary rules. After: no cutting through, except on a priority road/when merging. At a traffic light: colonne may proceed on green, procession must stop at red.

Signs and law

Test yourself

On a provincial road near Gulpen you approach a long row of vehicles with a blue flag on the first vehicle. The last vehicle, further along, carries a green flag. May you merge in between two vehicles of this row from a side road?

Show the answer

Before the first vehicle (blue flag): ordinary priority rules apply (Book p.114). After the first vehicle: no cutting through — except on a priority road or when merging (Book p.115). At a traffic light: a colonne may proceed on green, even mid-junction; a procession must stop at red (Book p.116).

Exam questions on this topic

Near Gulpen a military colonne is approaching from the left. The first vehicle (blue flag) has not yet reached the junction where you want to cross. What applies?

  1. The colonne has priority regardless, no matter the ordinary rules
  2. I may not cross at all, because a colonne is approaching
  3. The ordinary priority rules of this junction determine who goes first
Show the answer

Correct answer: The ordinary priority rules of this junction determine who goes first

Why learners get this wrong: An approaching military column has priority in any case, even when its first vehicle has not yet reached the junction.

Open this question

Statement: at a junction with a traffic light, a military colonne and a funeral procession behave exactly the same.

  1. True
  2. False
Show the answer

Correct answer: False

Why learners get this wrong: A military colonne and a funeral procession behave exactly the same at a junction with a traffic light.

Open this question

You are driving on a priority road through Kerkrade. The first vehicle (blue flag) of a military colonne has already passed; the last one (green flag) has not yet. May you cut through the colonne?

  1. Only if the colonne's drivers signal you to do so
  2. Yes, on a priority road that is allowed
  3. No, cutting through is not allowed once the first vehicle has passed
Show the answer

Correct answer: Yes, on a priority road that is allowed

False — A signal from the colonne is not a condition — on a priority road you may cut through regardless

Why learners get this wrong: On a priority road you may cut through a military column only when the column's drivers give you a signal to do so.

Open this question

You approach a junction with traffic lights. A military convoy is driving along the crossing road, and a little further on a funeral procession follows. What is correct in this situation? (multiple answers possible)

  1. You recognise the convoy by a blue flag at the front and a green one at the back
  2. Until the first vehicle has passed, the normal priority rules apply
  3. At a traffic light the convoy and the procession behave exactly the same
  4. If you are on a priority road or merging, you may cut through
  5. A convoy or procession must let pedestrians on a zebra crossing go first
Show the answer

Correct answer: You recognise the convoy by a blue flag at the front and a green one at the back; Until the first vehicle has passed, the normal priority rules apply; If you are on a priority road or merging, you may cut through

False — you treat convoy and procession as the same. A military convoy may carry on at green, even if it is then still in the middle of the junction; a funeral procession must stop at red

Why learners get this wrong: A military colonne and a funeral procession behave exactly the same at a junction with a traffic light.

Open this question

In the centre of Gulpen a funeral procession approaches a zebra crossing. A pedestrian on the pavement is ready to cross. What may the cars of the procession do?

  1. They drive on as a procession; the pedestrian waits until it has passed
  2. They stop at the zebra crossing and let the pedestrian cross first
  3. Only the first car drives on; the rest stop for the pedestrian
Show the answer

Correct answer: They drive on as a procession; the pedestrian waits until it has passed

False — you forget the exception for the procession. A funeral procession and a military convoy do not have to let pedestrians on a zebra crossing go first

Why learners get this wrong: A military colonne or funeral procession must, like all other drivers, always give way to pedestrians on a zebra crossing.

Open this question

At a junction with a traffic light in Gulpen, the light changes from green to amber to red while a long row of vehicles with a blue flag at the front and a green flag at the back is still crossing the junction. What is correct?

  1. It doesn't matter whether it's a colonne or procession, both must now stop where they are
  2. This must be a funeral procession, since it stops mid-junction at red
  3. This is a military colonne: it was allowed to proceed on green and may continue now, mid-junction
Show the answer

Correct answer: This is a military colonne: it was allowed to proceed on green and may continue now, mid-junction

False — A military colonne that entered on green may complete crossing the junction; a procession would already have stopped before the light turned red

Why learners get this wrong: If the light turns red while a military column is crossing the junction, the rest of the column must stop where it is.

Open this question

About Military colonne and funeral procession: priority and cutting through: which statement is WRONG?

  1. Before the first vehicle has passed, the ordinary priority rules simply apply; after the first vehicle, the no-cutting-through rule applies, except on a priority road or when merging.
  2. A military colonne and a funeral procession are explicitly exempt from the duty to give way to pedestrians on a crossing.
  3. A military colonne and a funeral procession behave exactly the same at a junction with a traffic light.
  4. The exception applies to the procession as a whole, not to one vehicle.
Show the answer

Correct answer: A military colonne and a funeral procession behave exactly the same at a junction with a traffic light.

At a junction with a traffic light, a military colonne may proceed on green even if the colonne is still mid-junction; a funeral procession must stop at red.

Why learners get this wrong: You may never cut through a military colonne or funeral procession, not even before the first vehicle has passed or on a priority road.

Open this question

About Military colonne and funeral procession: priority and cutting through: which statement is WRONG?

  1. Before the first vehicle has passed, the ordinary priority rules simply apply; after the first vehicle, the no-cutting-through rule applies, except on a priority road or when merging.
  2. A military colonne or funeral procession must, like all other drivers, always give way to pedestrians on a zebra crossing.
  3. At a junction with a traffic light, a military colonne may proceed on green even if the colonne is still mid-junction; a funeral procession must stop at red.
  4. The exception applies to the procession as a whole, not to one vehicle.
Show the answer

Correct answer: A military colonne or funeral procession must, like all other drivers, always give way to pedestrians on a zebra crossing.

A military colonne and a funeral procession are explicitly exempt from the duty to give way to pedestrians on a crossing.

Why learners get this wrong: You may never cut through a military colonne or funeral procession, not even before the first vehicle has passed or on a priority road.

Open this question

A military colonne and a funeral procession are explicitly exempt from the duty to give way to pedestrians on a crossing.

  1. False
  2. True
Show the answer

Correct answer: True

A military colonne and a funeral procession are explicitly exempt from the duty to give way to pedestrians on a crossing.

Why learners get this wrong: A military colonne or funeral procession must, like all other drivers, always give way to pedestrians on a zebra crossing.

Open this question

Frequently asked questions

‘You may never cut through a military colonne or funeral procession, not even before the first vehicle has passed or on a priority road’ – is that true?

No. Before the first vehicle has passed, the ordinary priority rules simply apply; after the first vehicle, the no-cutting-through rule applies, except on a priority road or when merging.

‘A military colonne and a funeral procession behave exactly the same at a junction with a traffic light’ – is that true?

No. At a junction with a traffic light, a military colonne may proceed on green even if the colonne is still mid-junction; a funeral procession must stop at red.

‘A military colonne or funeral procession must, like all other drivers, always give way to pedestrians on a zebra crossing’ – is that true?

No. A military colonne and a funeral procession are explicitly exempt from the duty to give way to pedestrians on a crossing.

‘At a zebra crossing only the first vehicle of a funeral procession need not let the pedestrian go first; the following vehicles must stop’ – is that true?

No. The exception applies to the procession as a whole, not to one vehicle

‘An approaching military column has priority in any case, even when its first vehicle has not yet reached the junction’ – is that true?

No. As long as the first vehicle has not yet passed, no diverging rules apply — just the ordinary priority rules

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