Theory test
Traffic officer and green light disagree: which signal should you follow?
If an officer is directing an intersection, follow their signal even when the traffic light or signs say something different.
An officer’s instructions take priority over traffic lights, road signs and general traffic rules. If an officer is directing the junction while your light is green, do not set off just because it is green: follow the gesture for your traffic stream.
The order of priority: officer, traffic light and signs
When an officer is regulating traffic, their signals override other road signs and general rules. Therefore, a green light does not let you proceed if the officer is stopping the traffic stream you are in.
This order is practical, not just a fact to memorise. Officers direct traffic around emergencies, roadworks and heavy congestion. They can give instructions needed to manage the situation even when they differ from the signs or ordinary rules.
How to act at the junction
Slow down early, watch the officer and determine whether they are facing you, standing with their back to you or showing a side profile. If the gesture tells you to stop, stop safely before the line or junction; do not move forward because the light is green. If you are allowed to proceed, move cautiously and watch for pedestrians and vehicles already in the junction.
If the officer’s directions to nearby vehicles seem different, do not guess or accelerate to “get through first”. Wait for a clear signal. An instruction may apply to a specific lane or vehicle and help traffic flow without opening every direction at once.
A theory-test example
You are about to turn and have a green light, but the officer is facing your lane with a stop signal. You must stop. The officer’s signal overrides the light. If the officer then gives you permission to proceed, move carefully and still check for people crossing.
Quiz Patente Ufficiale can help you practise questions about right-of-way and traffic lights. After a wrong answer, return to the scene and ask which signal had authority over your direction.
Quiz Patente Ufficiale helps you review questions about right-of-way and traffic lights, and practise identifying which signal controls your direction.
For more detail, read STOP and give way: what is the difference?.
For another practical example, see Quiz patente: quale segnale prevale quando sembrano contraddirsi.
Frequently asked questions
The light is green but the officer signals stop. Can I go?
No. Follow the officer, whose instructions take priority over the traffic light.
Can an officer give directions that differ from road signs?
Yes. Their instructions override signs and general traffic rules for the situation they are regulating.