Traffic Controller Signals and Their Priority
Who controls
The traffic controller (regulator) may be a police officer or an authorised person. Their signals take absolute priority over traffic lights, road signs and markings. If a controller is present, ignore the lights and follow the gestures and body position.
The three basic positions
- Arms extended to the sides or lowered - from the side of the chest and back, movement is prohibited; from the side of the extended arms, trams go straight and trackless vehicles go straight or right.
- Right arm extended forward - from the chest side, all vehicles may go right; from the left side, trams go left and trackless vehicles go in all directions; from the side of the back, movement is prohibited.
- Arm raised vertically - this is the attention signal: all vehicles must stop, except those already in the intersection, which may complete their movement.
Additional signals
A raised baton, a whistle, or a pointing gesture directs a specific driver. A driver must be ready to stop on a whistle even if the light is green.
Traps
Questions mix the side of the chest (front) with the side of the back: the back always means stop. Another trap: the raised-arm signal does not require vehicles already inside the junction to reverse or stop dead - they finish crossing. A third: a controller's signal overrides a green light, so "the light was green" is never a defence.
Rule of thumb
"Chest and back = stop; arms = go along the arms." Read the controller's body orientation first, then the arm position.