Ch. 1 · Common Conduct

When a police officer raises an arm overhead, traffic in front must stop, but traffic to the sides may proceed while slowing down to a stop-ready speed (jokō).

[True / False · Hard]

Answer: ✕ False

Explanation

When a police officer raises an arm vertically, it has the same meaning as a yellow light for traffic running parallel to the front of the officer's body, and the same meaning as a red light for traffic crossing it (traffic facing the officer's front or back). Even on a yellow light you must not proceed past the stop position unless you cannot stop safely, so this statement—that side traffic may proceed at a stop-ready speed (jokō)—is incorrect.

Driving school curriculumStage 1 – Topic 2: Following traffic signals

Hikari
Hikari
Arm up means red for the front, so side traffic can creep through slowly, right?
Yui
Yui
Not quite — that's the trap! Side traffic gets a yellow light meaning, and yellow still means stop unless you can't stop safely. Front and back traffic get red.
Hikari
Hikari
Wait, so side traffic can't even go slow?
Yui
Yui
Nope, they stop too. Think of it this way: arm up = red for front/back, yellow for sides. No creeping allowed!

Source: Ch. 1 Common Conduct · Section (第２節 信号) · Rules of the Road, Ch.1 §2 (Signals, Signs & Markings) / 1. Signals: Drivers must obey traffic-signal lights. When a police officer or traffic-directing officer is controlling traffic by hand signals or flashlight, those signals override the traffic-signal lights.

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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.