Communication in traffic

To let other road users know what you are about to do, it is important that you communicate. You can also do this to warn other road users of imminent danger. Depending on the situation, you do this with light signals, sound or gestures. It is important to know that you cannot just use these signals. There must be a valid reason to do so.

Antisocial hand gestures, unnecessarily flashing your lights or unnecessarily sounding your horn is not allowed.

Just as with your horn, you are not allowed to produce unnecessary noise by any other means. Think of a broken or unoriginal exhaust, or unnecessarily squeezing the throttle when stopped in a tunnel.

Hand gestures

Sometimes, it may be necessary to point out to someone that you have seen them and that you stop for them. Or that you waive your right of way, for example, because it is more convenient in that situation.
Pedestrians often do not dare to suddenly cross at a pedestrian crossing, usually out of fear of not being seen. In that case, you can indicate that they can cross by means of a friendly hand gesture.

You might also encounter drivers of larger vehicles making a hand gesture towards you, to let you know they will wait for you. This happens, for example, because they can only enter the road you are coming from when you are gone.

Never take out you aggression through hand gestures. Count to ten and resolve the situation as safely as possible. This prevents aggression and thus danger in traffic.

The horn

Your vehicle must have a properly working bell or horn. If it does not work, or is not present, you are not allowed to drive. You are only allowed to use them to avert imminent danger. Sounding your horn to someone you know or as a greeting when driving off, is not allowed.
Sounding your horn is also not allowed if you solely do it because you are angry or frustrated. You are allowed to sound your horn when you almost get hit because someone did not see you.

Hazard lights

Hazard lights (also known as warning lights) may also be present on your vehicle. You are only allowed to use these to avert imminent danger. If you are stopped somewhere with a breakdown, you may not be seen in time without the hazard lights. Then the use of hazard lights is very wise.

It is not meant to use hazard lights when loading or unloading. Stopping and parking or placing may only be done in places where it does not cause danger. Using the hazard lights when there is no danger is not allowed.

Indicators

Indicating direction is required before and during turning off and during the following special manoeuvres: driving off, overtaking, getting in lane, exiting, changing lanes and important lateral movements. You usually do this with the indicators. But if your vehicle is not equipped with these, you are also allowed to use your arm.

Make sure to indicate direction at the right moment. If you indicate direction that you want to turn off too early, it could cause confusion to other road users. But not indicating direction that you want to turn off, can also result in danger. Incorrectly using your indicators or not using them when required, is punishable.

Flashing signal with the full-beam headlight

Another way of warning someone is by means of a flashing signal with the full-beam headlight, if your vehicle is equipped with it. This, too, may only be used to allow you to avert imminent danger. For example, you may warn an oncoming driver if they have turned on their full-beam headlights that dazzle you.

It is not allowed to flash the full-beam headlight to warn oncoming traffic of a police check. And not to express your frustration.

Use of brake lights

A brake light is required to be present on mopeds and speed pedelecs with a power of more than 0.5 kW. A brommobiel must have two brake lights. As soon as you use the brake lever or pedal, the brake lights light up. Unnecessarily using the brake is bad for the energy consumption of your vehicle and causes extra wear of the brakes. In addition, it is also quite annoying for traffic behind you and may cause startled reactions.

You can use the brake lights as a warning. You do this by briefly squeezing or tapping the brake before actually braking. Traffic behind you is then warned that they must also decelerate. But only do this if you really need to brake.