Many officials participate in keeping traffic flowing smoothly and safely in daily life. Because managing traffic covers a wide area, control is done not by voice but by specific arm and hand signals performed by the authorized person. Each of these gestures has a distinct meaning that drivers must learn. These signals are also tested in the exams candidates take to obtain a driver’s license, and every applicant is expected to know them.
Traffic Control Signals Used by Authorized Personnel and Their Meanings
When a Road Is Open or Closed to Traffic:
An officer directing traffic raises one or both arms to shoulder height and holds them straight, or keeps both arms down parallel to the body. If the officer holds an arm out horizontally at shoulder height on the right side, that indicates the right side is open to traffic. The same gesture with the left arm indicates the left side is open. If both arms are extended at shoulder height and held horizontally, both sides are open to traffic. If both arms are held down, parallel to the body, it means traffic is closed in both directions.
When the Road Is Closed in All Directions:
If one arm is held up while the other remains close to the body, it signals drivers that a lane previously open will close, and conversely that lanes which were closed may open. This gesture indicates a change in which directions are allowed to proceed.
Signal to Pull Over to the Roadside:
When an officer wants a vehicle to pull over and stop at the roadside, they raise the hand on the side where the vehicle should stop. At the same time, the other arm, bent at the elbow, points toward the spot where the vehicle should pull in. When this signal is given, drivers must move to the indicated side and stop.
Signal to Speed Up Traffic:
If the officer wants traffic on a particular side to speed up, they raise that arm to head level and move the hand toward and away from the head while keeping the arm straight. This motion instructs drivers to accelerate the flow of traffic.
Signal to Slow Down or Stop Traffic:
To slow traffic, the officer raises the arm toward the side being signaled to shoulder height and moves it up and down. Additionally, if the officer continuously blows a whistle with the other hand, it conveys the command to stop.
Nighttime Signal to Stop Traffic:
At night, an officer controlling traffic carries a colored baton or wand that attracts drivers’ attention. To stop traffic after dark, the officer moves the baton from side to side at about a 45-degree angle while keeping it in a vertical position so the illuminated part faces upward. This ensures visibility and clearly signals drivers to stop.