Key Takeaways
A single word with a clear meaning
In Dutch, the word “volgende” means “next” or “following.” It appears in everyday expressions such as “the next day” or “next time,” and it is closely related to the verb “volgen,” meaning “to follow.”
From language class to the hard shoulder
On Dutch roads, police vehicles use illuminated text bars and matrix displays that can show short commands. The most important ones for drivers are “STOP POLITIE” (“Stop, police”) and “VOLGEN POLITIE” (“Follow, police”), which appear on light bars and rear window displays of patrol cars and other enforcement vehicles.
What drivers are expected to do
When a display shows “STOP POLITIE,” the driver must pull over and stop safely as soon as possible. When it shows “VOLGEN POLITIE,” the instruction is to keep driving and follow the police vehicle until it leads to a safe stopping place, such as an exit or a service area.
Story & Details
Everyday Dutch: how “volgende” is used
In the Dutch language, “volgende” sits comfortably in the family of words built around “volgen,” the verb “to follow.” Its simplest role is as an adjective meaning “next” or “following.”
It appears in phrases like “de volgende dag” for “the next day” and “volgende keer” for “next time,” marking whatever comes immediately after something else in a sequence. In conversations, it can also label “the next person in line” with a question such as “wie is de volgende?” meaning “who is next?”
This ordinary, almost invisible word becomes much more noticeable when it appears in block capitals on the back of a police vehicle, paired with “politie.” At that point it stops being a neutral marker of sequence and turns into a directive on the road.
The hardware behind the words
Dutch police vehicles are equipped with emergency lighting and, very often, an information matrix or LED text bar. These displays can show short messages in bright, high-contrast letters that are readable in mirrors and at motorway speeds.
For decades, Dutch patrol cars have used this equipment to display commands like “STOP POLITIE” and “VOLGEN POLITIE.” The first instructs a driver to pull over and stop; the second tells the driver to continue behind the police car. Manufacturers and suppliers describe these units specifically for use by police and other enforcement services, preprogrammed with combinations of words such as “STOP,” “POLITIE,” and “VOLGEN.”
To the driver, all of this technology reduces to a few glowing words. The difference between those words, however, matters a great deal for what happens next.
“Stop” or “follow”: how to read the instruction
Dutch driver-theory material explains clearly what each message requires. If the illuminated panel shows “STOP POLITIE,” the driver must pull over and stop in a safe place as soon as reasonably possible. If the message is “VOLGEN POLITIE,” the instruction is not to stop immediately, but to follow the police vehicle until it indicates a safe location for a stop.
In practice, this distinction is especially important on fast or busy roads. On a motorway, for example, an immediate stop on the hard shoulder may be unsafe or impractical. In those situations, police can display “VOLGEN POLITIE,” lead the vehicle to an exit, a parking area, or a fuel station, and only then bring it to a controlled stop.
The word “volgende” itself may not be the exact text normally programmed into these displays; standardized commands focus on “volgen” paired with “politie.” Nevertheless, understanding that “volgende” is built from the same linguistic root as “volgen” helps to decode what is happening when similar words appear alongside blue lights and sirens.
Staying calm when the message is about you
For drivers who are unfamiliar with Dutch, the combination of flashing lights, sirens, and a short Dutch word can be disorienting. Yet the underlying logic is simple: the illuminated text tells the driver either to stop now, or to follow until told to stop.
General road-safety advice in the Netherlands emphasizes cooperation with authorized directives, whether they come from traffic controllers, signs, or police instructions. When a matrix display behind a patrol car lights up with a clear command, it is part of that same system of directives.
Understanding that “volgende” is related to “following” in Dutch, and that “volgen” in a police context means “follow this vehicle,” turns an intimidating moment into something clearer: a short instruction in a language that can be translated into straightforward action.
Conclusions
Language in the mirror
“Volgende” is a simple Dutch word meaning “next” or “following,” used in daily speech to mark whatever comes after something else. On the road, relatives of this word, such as “volgen,” appear in capital letters as part of vital messages on police displays.
Clear instructions in a tense moment
When Dutch police use illuminated commands, “STOP POLITIE” tells a driver to pull over and stop safely, while “VOLGEN POLITIE” tells the driver to follow the police vehicle to a safer location. Knowing this distinction helps drivers respond calmly and correctly when those glowing letters suddenly appear in the rear-view mirror.
Sources
Core references
Emergency vehicle lighting and the use of messages such as “STOP POLITIE” and “VOLGEN POLITIE” on Dutch police vehicles are described in the “Emergency vehicle lighting” article on Wikipedia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergency_vehicle_lighting
Dutch driver-theory material on following directives, including explanations of “STOP POLITIE” and “VOLGEN POLITIE,” can be found on the itheorie theory-course website:
https://itheorie.nl/en/car/learning-theory/en-b-7-5-following-directives
An example of Dutch educational material on traffic rules and the role of authorized figures in directing traffic is provided by TheorieExamen.nl:
https://www.theorieexamen.nl/auto-theorie/verkeersregelaar?lang=english
Suppliers and technical descriptions of LED matrix boards for enforcement vehicles, including combinations of words like “STOP,” “POLITIE,” and “VOLGEN,” are illustrated by the product pages of POL Heteren and ACS Nederland:
https://www.pol.nl/kantelmatrix-400x130x30mm-reeel-stop-pol-pol-volgen.html
https://www.acsnederland-webshop.nl/a-49452526/led-tekstborden-overheid/led-stop-bord-voor-motoren-ultra-klein-en-onopvallend/
Official contact information and general guidance from the Dutch police are available on the Netherlands Police website:
https://www.politie.nl/en/contact
YouTube video
For a structured visual explanation of Dutch traffic signs and how they appear in the theory exam, an educational video in English is available on the Theorycourse channel:
“Car theory exam in the Netherlands – Traffic Signs – 20 CBR questions, answers, and explanation”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NxPXVNEejc
Appendix
Dutch police
The national police service of the Netherlands, responsible for law enforcement, traffic control, and public safety, including the operation of marked and unmarked patrol vehicles equipped with emergency lights and text displays.
Emergency vehicle matrix display
A programmable panel of LEDs mounted on emergency vehicles that can show short text messages or symbols. On Dutch police vehicles, these displays are used to instruct drivers with commands such as “STOP POLITIE” and “VOLGEN POLITIE.”
Following directive
A binding instruction given by an authorized person or service, such as the police, that road users must obey even when it seems to conflict with other rules or traffic signals. In the Dutch theory framework, illuminated texts like “STOP POLITIE” and “VOLGEN POLITIE” are examples of such directives.
LED text bar
A horizontal row, or short panel, of light-emitting diodes mounted on or inside a vehicle, capable of displaying short words or phrases. In Dutch police use, it often forms part of the light bar on the roof or a separate display in the rear window, showing messages to drivers behind the vehicle.
Stop politie
A Dutch phrase meaning “Stop, police.” When shown on an illuminated display on a police vehicle, it instructs a driver to pull over and stop safely as soon as possible. It is one of the most common texts used on Dutch police matrix boards.
Volgen politie
A Dutch phrase meaning “Follow, police,” used on illuminated panels to tell a driver to follow the police vehicle rather than stopping immediately. The police vehicle then leads the driver to a safer location before bringing them to a stop.
Volgende
A Dutch word meaning “next” or “following,” used in ordinary language to indicate the item, person, or moment that comes immediately after another. It is related to the verb “volgen” (“to follow”) and shares the same linguistic root as the commands used on police displays.
My Diary - Leonardo Cardillo 