Many people wonder about the right behavior to adopt on the street in the presence of a police patrol. What should you always avoid doing if there is a steering wheel in front of you? Here’s everything you need to know about it. If you make this mistake, you risk a huge fine. Here are all the details about it.
A checkpoint, but also the mere presence of one Police car in transit it can cause anxiety in many motorists. Even if you have nothing to hide or if you are perfectly in compliance with the traffic laws, the presence of these vehicles can put us in an involuntary state of agitation. In fact, there is nothing to fear. The police and other similar competent bodies are simply doing their duty.
Ensuring safety and full compliance with the rules is essential. And we are required to help law enforcement in some specific cases. For instance, being stopped at a roadside check is absolutely normal. Showing license and book has nothing abnormal.
But there is a specific case, which is the subject of questions and clarifications from many motorists. What happens if while you are driving along a certain stretch of road you come across a police car? Is it possible to overtake such a car? Here’s the move you NEVER make in the presence of the police. The risk is to suffer a heavy fine.
Police cars: here’s what to NEVER do if you see one in front of you
It will have happened to anyone to have a police car in front of them and to ask themselves the right move to make in such a situation. In fact, many wonder if it is possible to overtake such a car, provided it is done in safety and in full compliance with the Highway Code. Here’s everything you need to know about it.
Let’s start right away by saying that overtaking a police car is absolutely not forbidden. The same thing goes for a squad car of the carabinieri, the vigilantes and any other vehicle of the police forces. As mentioned, however, it is essential to overtake in complete safety and without violating the rules.
Overtaking, however, is permitted only and exclusively if the steering wheel in front of us is traveling along the road in a regular manner and without emergency sirens on. Therefore, if it is engaged in a normal “round”, then overtaking the vehicle is always permissible.
It is not, however, in the event that the police car is in an emergency situation and has the audible and visual indicators on.
This, in fact, is what is written on the Traffic Lawsatarticle 177, paragraph 3: “Anyone who is on the road traveled by vehicles used for police services engaged in the performance of urgent services, or on the adjacent roads near the outlets on the first, as soon as he hears the supplementary alarm signal, he is obliged to leave the pass free and, if necessary, to stop. It is forbidden to follow these vehicles closely by taking advantage of the progression of the march”.
Another rule to follow in case of overtaking the police car concerns the presence of road obstacles. Indeed, if there are signs indicating a ban on making a normal overtaking, then you will not be able to make this move under any circumstances.
What do you risk if you overtake the police car when this is prohibited? You can come across one fine up to 1272 euros. Moreover, in the most serious cases they can be deducted a few points from the license, up to a real suspension.
