11.27. What must the driver of a non-rail vehicle take into account to determine the number of lanes in the absence of road markings and the road signs 'Directions of movement by lanes' and 'Direction of movement by lane'?
UAЩо повинен враховувати водій нерейкового транспортного засобу для визначення кількості смуг за відсутності дорожньої розмітки та дорожніх знаків «Напрямки руху по смугах» і «Напрямки руху по смузі»?
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This is an exam question from the Traffic Rules of Ukraine about the safe organization of traffic on the road, when the driver needs to navigate independently without the guidance of markings and signs. Such situations are typical in winter, during road repairs, or on poorly marked sections, and it is precisely here that dangerous close approaches, “squeezing” into a lane, and side collisions most often occur. Therefore, the topic is directly related to road safety and the correct assessment of road conditions.
The section of the Traffic Rules being tested concerns the positioning of vehicles on the carriageway, in particular the requirement of paragraph 11.1 of the Traffic Rules: when there are no markings and signs 5.16, 5.17.1, 5.17.2, the number of lanes is determined by the drivers themselves. To do this, it is necessary to simultaneously take into account the width of the carriageway in your direction, the dimensions of the vehicles, and the safe intervals between them (this is also logically related to the terms “traffic lane,” “carriageway,” and “interval” from paragraph 1.10). This comprehensive approach is exactly what is expected in the theoretical exam, as it reflects real-world practice.
The analysis of the answer options boils down to the fact that relying only on the width of the carriageway is incorrect: the same width may be sufficient for two passenger cars, but already insufficient for a passenger car and a truck. Likewise, it is wrong to consider only the dimensions, ignoring the actual width of your part of the road and the need to leave a lateral margin. The correct approach in the traffic rules always includes safe intervals: even if it “seems to fit,” without a sufficient lateral gap, this cannot be considered safe movement in parallel lanes.
Clause 11.1
The number of lanes on the carriageway for non-rail vehicles is determined by road markings or road signs 5.16 "Directions of movement by lanes", 5.17.1 "Directions of movement by lanes", 5.17.2 "Directions of movement by lanes", and in their absence — by the drivers themselves, taking into account the width of the carriageway in the relevant direction of travel, the dimensions of the vehicles, and safe intervals between them.
This clause directly establishes that in the absence of markings and signs, the driver independently determines the number of lanes, considering the width of the carriageway, vehicle dimensions, and safe intervals.
Clause 1.10 (term "Carriageway")
Carriageway — an element of the road intended for the movement of non-rail vehicles.
This term is needed to understand that it is specifically the width of the carriageway in the relevant direction of travel that is assessed.
Clause 1.10 (term "Traffic lane")
Traffic lane — a longitudinal strip on the carriageway at least 2.75 m wide, which may be marked or unmarked by road markings and is intended for movement in a single row of non-rail vehicles.
This definition explains how a driver can "divide" the carriageway into lanes even without markings.
Clause 1.10 (term "Interval")
Interval — the distance between the sides of moving vehicles, as well as between them and other objects.
It is precisely taking into account the intervals (which must be safe) that the driver determines whether vehicles can move side by side as if in different lanes.
Thus, the correct answer is: "Must take into account the width of the carriageway in the relevant direction of travel, the dimensions of the vehicle, while maintaining safe intervals," given that according to the definition in the Traffic Rules, the number of lanes without markings/signs is determined by the driver based on these criteria (clause 11.1), taking into account the concepts of carriageway, traffic lane, and interval (clause 1.10).
In a typical situation, the number of lanes on the road is determined by the driver according to road markings or signs that indicate lane directions. However, in practice, there are sections where there is no marking (it has worn off, is covered by snow, or has not been applied), and the signs “Directions of movement by lanes” and “Direction of movement by lane” are absent. For such cases, clause 11.1 of the Traffic Rules assigns the responsibility of determining the number of lanes to the drivers themselves.
When a driver determines the lanes independently, they cannot do so “by eye” arbitrarily or simply by following how others are driving. It is necessary to logically assess how many vehicles can safely fit within the carriageway in your direction of travel, without creating danger or squeezing other participants.
The first thing to consider is the width of the carriageway in the relevant direction. For example, if in your direction the carriageway is wide enough for two cars to move in parallel without crossing into the other half of the road or coming dangerously close, then there are essentially two lanes in one direction. If the width is only enough for one row of vehicles, then it is a single lane, even if someone tries to “squeeze in” next to you.
The second thing that must be considered is the dimensions of the vehicles. Different vehicles have different widths: a passenger car and a bus or truck occupy different amounts of space. Therefore, where two passenger cars can still safely drive side by side, a car and a truck may no longer fit without the risk of a side collision or being forced to the edge of the carriageway.
The third thing the driver must ensure is safe intervals. Even if the carriageway width “seems to allow” movement in two rows, but there is not enough lateral space between vehicles, it cannot be considered two lanes. A safe interval is needed to compensate for possible deviations in trajectory, road irregularities, gusts of wind, and steering errors.
Thus, the correct answer is: “The driver must take into account the width of the carriageway in the relevant direction, the dimensions of the vehicle, and maintain safe intervals,” since in the absence of markings and signs, clause 11.1 of the Traffic Rules obliges the driver to independently determine the number of lanes based on these three criteria.