10.47. At what distance from pedestrian crossings is a U-turn prohibited?
UAНа якій відстані від пішохідних переходів заборонений розворот?
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This exam question from the Traffic Rules of Ukraine concerns pedestrian safety and the correct execution of maneuvers near high-risk areas. Making a U-turn near a pedestrian crossing can sharply reduce visibility of the crossing for other drivers and the driver themselves, as well as create an unpredictable obstacle where people may step onto the roadway. That is why the traffic rules set clear spatial restrictions for such maneuvers.
This checks Section 10 "Starting to Move and Changing Direction," specifically item 10.7 (e), which prohibits U-turns not only directly at the pedestrian crossing but also within a designated zone next to it. The wording "on both sides" means that the restriction applies both before and after the crossing, i.e., the driver must maintain the same minimum distance in both directions relative to the crossing (except in cases where a U-turn at an intersection is allowed).
Answer options that limit the prohibition to only one side—only before or only after the crossing—are incorrect. Such options do not comply with the Traffic Rules of Ukraine, since the dangers of a U-turn (obstructed visibility, complex trajectory, reduced speed, possibility of sudden stopping) are equally relevant on both sides of the pedestrian crossing. For the theoretical exam, it is important to remember the logic of the rule: the restricted zone covers both the approach to and departure from the crossing, so that the maneuver does not create risk for pedestrians and other road users.
Clause 10.7 (e) (Section 10 "Starting Movement and Changing Its Direction")
U-turns are prohibited: (e) at pedestrian crossings and closer than 10 m from them on both sides, except in cases where a U-turn is permitted at an intersection.
This clause directly establishes the required distance (10 m) and clarifies that the prohibition applies both before and after the crossing ("on both sides"), except when a U-turn is allowed at an intersection.
Clause 1.10 (term "Pedestrian Crossing")
Pedestrian crossing — a section of the carriageway, safety island or dividing strip, or an engineering structure intended for pedestrian movement across the road. Pedestrian crossings are marked by road signs and/or road markings.
This definition is necessary to correctly understand from which section of the road the "10 m" is measured and what is considered a pedestrian crossing in the context of the U-turn prohibition.
Clause 1.10 (term "Intersection")
Intersection — a place where roads cross, adjoin, or branch at the same level, the boundaries of which are imaginary lines between the beginnings of the rounding of the edges of the carriageway of each road.
This definition applies to the exception in clause 10.7 (e): if a U-turn at the intersection is allowed, then the prohibition "closer than 10 m from the pedestrian crossing" does not apply within such a permitted maneuver at the intersection.
That is, the correct answer is "Closer than 10 m from the pedestrian crossing on both sides," given that according to the definition in the Traffic Rules, making a U-turn is expressly prohibited at pedestrian crossings and closer than 10 m from them on both sides (clause 10.7 (e)).
A pedestrian crossing is a place of increased danger because pedestrians cross the roadway much more slowly than cars move. In this area, the driver must ensure maximum predictability of their actions and not create situations where other road users may not have time to react.
A U-turn is a maneuver that sharply changes the direction of movement and often requires stopping or significantly reducing speed. If a U-turn is performed too close to a crossing, the car may block the view for drivers approaching the crossing or create an unexpected obstacle for a pedestrian who has already started to cross. That is why the Traffic Rules restrict U-turns not only at the crossing itself but also in the approach zone to it.
According to clause 10.7 (e) of the Traffic Rules of Ukraine, U-turns are prohibited at pedestrian crossings and closer than 10 meters from them. The wording “on both sides” means that these 10 meters are counted both before and after the crossing, that is, the prohibition applies from both directions of approach to the crossing.
For example, if there is an unregulated pedestrian crossing in the middle of a block ahead of you, you cannot make a U-turn either 5 meters before the “zebra” or 5 meters after it. Similarly, making a U-turn directly on the crossing markings or within its designated area is also a violation.
Therefore, the correct answer is “Closer than 10 m from a pedestrian crossing on both sides,” since the Traffic Rules prohibit U-turns at the crossing and within the 10-meter zone before and after it, so as not to endanger pedestrians and not to restrict visibility for other drivers.