Ch. 1 · Common Conduct

When a traffic-directing officer's instructions differ from traffic regulations indicated by road signs, you must follow the road signs.

[True / False · Medium]

Answer: ✕ False

Explanation

The Rules of the Road state that "even when instructions by a police officer or equivalent (警察官等) differ from regulations shown by signs or markings, the instructions take priority." The term 警察官等 covers both police officers and traffic-directing officers (per Road Traffic Act §74), so when a traffic-directing officer's instructions conflict with a sign, you must follow the instructions rather than the sign.

Driving school curriculumStage 1 – Topic 2: Following traffic signals

Hikari
Hikari
A traffic-directing officer isn't the same as a police officer, so the road signs win, right?
Yui
Yui
Nope, that's wrong! Traffic-directing officers have the same authority—their instructions override road signs too.
Hikari
Hikari
Wait, they're treated the same way?
Yui
Yui
Exactly. Whether it's a police officer or a traffic-directing officer, the person giving instructions always comes first.

Source: Ch. 1 Common Conduct · Section (第３節 警察官などの指示に従うこと) · 警察官が行う指示が標識・標示によつて示された交通の規制と違つていても、指示の方が優先します。

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Source content excerpted from the NPA “Rules of the Road” instructional manual, in the public domain under Japanese Copyright Act Article 13(2). Explanations are AI-assisted and copyrighted by the MenkyoQuest editorial team.