11.29. In which cases is it prohibited to drive onto the lane designated for oncoming traffic?
UAУ яких випадках заборонено виїжджати на призначений для зустрічного руху бік дороги?
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This is an exam question from the Traffic Rules of Ukraine concerning safety on roads with two-way traffic and, above all, the prevention of head-on collisions. Driving onto the side of the road designated for oncoming traffic is one of the most dangerous maneuvers, which is why the traffic rules clearly distinguish situations depending on the number of lanes in each direction and establish direct prohibitions.
The question tests knowledge of the section of the Traffic Rules about the positioning of vehicles on the carriageway (points 11.3 and 11.4), that is, when a driver is allowed to cross the boundary between directions at all. The key rule here is point 11.4: on two-way roads with at least two lanes in one direction, driving onto the oncoming side is prohibited regardless of the purpose (overtaking, bypassing, stopping, etc.). For comparison, point 11.3 allows a short-term drive onto the oncoming lane only on roads where there is one lane in each direction, and only in specific cases (overtaking, bypassing an obstacle, certain options for stopping/parking in a populated area).
The analysis of the answer options in the context of the theoretical exam and the traffic rules is as follows: the statement about “two lanes in one direction” is correct, as this is a direct prohibition from point 11.4. The option with a broken line marking (type 1.5) does not itself establish a prohibition on driving onto the oncoming side, since such a line may be crossed if other traffic rules do not prohibit the maneuver. Accordingly, the combined option is also not suitable, as it contains an incorrect condition. In practice, this means: on roads of the 2+2 format (and similar), any crossing “through the center” onto the oncoming side is a gross violation, even if the marking seems “permissive” or is poorly visible.
Clause 11.4
On two-way roads that have at least two lanes for movement in one direction, it is prohibited to drive onto the side of the road designated for oncoming traffic.
Brief application: this clause directly establishes a general prohibition on driving onto the oncoming side of the road specifically under the condition that there are two or more lanes in one direction (that is, the road is "multi-lane" in each direction or at least in one direction).
Clause 11.3
On two-way roads that have one lane in each direction, in the absence of a solid line road marking or corresponding road signs, driving onto the oncoming lane is allowed only for overtaking and bypassing an obstacle or for stopping or parking near the left edge of the carriageway in populated areas in permitted cases, while drivers in the oncoming direction have the right of way.
Brief application: clause 11.3 outlines exceptions when driving onto the oncoming lane may be allowed, but only for roads with one lane in each direction (unlike the situation in clause 11.4).
Clause 11.1
The number of traffic lanes on the carriageway is determined by road markings or road signs, and in their absence — by the drivers themselves, taking into account the width of the carriageway, the dimensions of vehicles, and the necessary intervals between them.
Brief application: in this question, the driver must correctly determine that the road "has at least two lanes for movement in one direction," after which the direct prohibition from clause 11.4 applies.
Clause 34.1.3 — 34 "Road Markings", 1 "Horizontal Markings", marking 1.3
Marking 1.3 (double solid line) separates traffic flows of opposite directions on roads that have four or more lanes or two or more lanes for movement in one direction; crossing it is prohibited.
Brief application: on roads that fall under the condition of clause 11.4, marking 1.3 is usually applied, which additionally physically/visually reinforces the impossibility of driving onto the oncoming side.
That is, the correct answer is "If the road has at least two lanes for movement in one direction," given that according to the definition in the Traffic Rules, clause 11.4 directly prohibits driving onto the side of the road designated for oncoming traffic under such traffic organization.
When driving on two-way roads, the main principle for the driver is as follows: drive in your own lane and enter the oncoming lane only when it is directly permitted by the Rules. That is why the Traffic Rules distinguish between two situations depending on the number of lanes in each direction.
If the road has one lane in each direction, then under certain conditions a short-term entry into the oncoming lane is possible. Clause 11.3 allows this only in specific cases: for overtaking, bypassing an obstacle, as well as for stopping or parking near the left edge of the carriageway in a populated area, when it is not prohibited. At the same time, it should be remembered that vehicles moving in the opposite direction have the right of way, and the driver who has entered the oncoming lane must act with maximum caution.
But if the road is wider and there are at least two lanes in one direction, the rules become stricter. Clause 11.4 directly establishes a prohibition on entering the side of the road intended for oncoming traffic on such roads. The logic is simple: when there are also several lanes in the oncoming direction, any entry "to the other side" means crossing a greater number of lanes and creates a much higher risk of head-on collisions and conflicts with vehicles moving in the opposite direction in different lanes.
For example, imagine a 2+2 road (two lanes in each direction). Even if there is a slow vehicle ahead of you, you do not have the right to "go through the center" to the oncoming side for overtaking, because the very fact of entering the side intended for oncoming traffic on such a road is prohibited by clause 11.4. Instead, maneuvers must be performed within the lanes of your direction, using permitted lane changes.
Thus, the correct answer is "If the road has at least two lanes for movement in one direction," since clause 11.4 of the Traffic Rules directly prohibits entering the side of the road intended for oncoming traffic on two-way roads with two or more lanes in one direction.