In your rear-view mirror, you see the words "STOP POLIZEI" (Stop Police) in red illuminated letters on the roof of a police car immediately behind your car. Who does this apply to?

When a police car displays "STOP POLIZEI" in illuminated letters directly behind you, this signal is directed specifically to your vehicle. It means you are required to pull over and stop as instructed by the police. This instruction does not apply to all following vehicles or to all vehicles on the road—only to you, since the sign is clearly targeted at your car from directly behind. In German traffic law, police stop signals are always meant for the vehicle directly in front of the police car displaying the sign. Recognizing these signals and knowing that they apply only to you in this situation will help you respond correctly if this happens on the road.