Respect for the funeral cortege

At Tester & Jones Funeral Services, we have been a proud member of SAIF Independent Funeral Directors since we were established more than 20 years ago.  Recently another member of SAIF – Spire Funeral Services based in Chesterfield – shared a post on social media that went viral. It simply asked that drivers give their funeral corteges respect, when out on the road.

The post stated: Just lately we are having more and more drivers on the roads being impatient and trying to push in on the funeral cortège’s in between the hearse and the limousines with bereaved family members in, and even on funerals with our horses too. This is happening to the point where accidents have nearly been caused because someone just wants to cut in or to cut through. 

I appreciate we drive slower, but this is someone’s final journey, and this is done out of respect. Whether this makes you 30 seconds, one minute or two minutes late for where you need to be, think about that person who has passed and the families that are following. A final journey is so precious.

While, in the most part, drivers are courteous when we are out on the road, we have noticed that, sadly, this isn’t always the case.  Interestingly, when we spoke to Funeral Director Mick Wood, recently for a ‘meet the team’ piece we asked him what changes he had noticed in the funeral industry since he first started working in it 40 years ago. He noted a few changes, including not so many flowers, fewer services in a church setting and, a general change in attitude to funeral cars enroute to a funeral.

Why do we drive slowly? There are two main reasons – to emulate the sombre progression of a traditional funeral procession which, in itself, shows respect and, also, to keep our funeral cars together as we make our journey.

Sometimes, family cars join us as part of the cortege and – as they aren’t necessarily black – it might not be obvious that they are part of our group. In that case, we do offer the drivers small black flags, which can be attached to the windows.

There’s no particular law that states you have to give way to a funeral procession on the road, but it’s good to maintain some etiquette. Don’t impatiently try to overtake or beep and, if you’re listening to some loud music in your car, maybe thinking about reducing the volume if your windows are open. If you are on a dual carriageway or motorway of course, it’s fine to pass a funeral procession that’s travelling more slowly than you are.