Ch. 1 · Common Conduct

When a police officer's instructions and traffic regulations indicated by road signs or road markings differ, which takes priority?

[Multiple choice · Hard]

Answer: B: The police officer's instructions

Explanation

Article 2 of the Rules of the Road clearly states: "Even if instructions given by a police officer differ from traffic regulations indicated by road signs or road markings, the instructions take priority." Therefore, the police officer's instructions, not the road signs or road markings, take priority.

Driving school curriculumStage 1 – Topic 2: Following traffic signals

Hikari
Hikari
I'd assume road signs are permanent, so they'd beat what one officer says, right?
Yui
Yui
Nope! The police officer's instructions take priority over signs and road markings every time.
Hikari
Hikari
So if a sign says 'no left turn' but the officer waves me left...?
Yui
Yui
You turn left. The officer is responding to real-time conditions—always listen to them!

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.