12.6. What is the maximum permitted speed for a passenger car on this road outside a populated area (except for vehicles driven by drivers with less than 2 years of driving experience)?
UAЗ якою максимальною швидкістю допускається рух на цій дорозі легкового автомобіля, якщо він рухається за межами населеного пункту (крім транспортних засобів, якими керують водії зі стажем до 2-х років)?
This is an exam question from the Traffic Rules of Ukraine about the safe choice of speed outside populated areas. It checks whether the driver can correctly determine where the “urban” restrictions end and apply the general speed limits for different types of roads. In the context of the theoretical exam, such tasks are important because mistakes in determining the speed regime most often lead both to violations of traffic rules and to an increased risk of road accidents.
The question belongs to Section 12 of the Traffic Rules of Ukraine, “Speed of Movement,” based on clause 12.6 (e). The situation corresponds to driving outside a populated area (this is determined by information signs indicating the “end of a populated area”), and the road itself is neither a motorway nor has separate carriageways divided by a median strip. Therefore, for a passenger car without special conditions (in particular, not for a driver with less than 2 years of experience and not a “car with a trailer”), the general limit for “other motor roads” applies — 90 km/h.
The analysis of the options here comes down to correctly identifying the type of road and exceptions: 70 km/h applies to vehicles driven by drivers with less than 2 years of experience, so it is not suitable in this case; 80 km/h is typical for a passenger car with a trailer or a motorcycle outside populated areas; 100 km/h is not the basic standard for such a road according to clause 12.6; 110 km/h is allowed on a road with a median strip between carriageways, and 130 km/h (which is not among the answers) is only allowed on a motorway marked with sign 5.1. Thus, a correct understanding of speed rules outside populated areas helps not to confuse a “regular” two-way road with a motorway or a road with a median strip and to confidently answer similar questions on the theoretical exam.
Clause 12.6 (Section 12 "Speed limits")
Outside populated areas on all roads and on roads passing through populated areas marked with sign 5.51 "Start of populated area", the following speed limits apply: a) buses (minibuses) transporting organized groups of children, passenger cars with trailers, and motorcycles — no more than 80 km/h; b) vehicles driven by drivers with less than 2 years of experience — no more than 70 km/h; c) trucks carrying people in the cargo bed, and mopeds — no more than 60 km/h; d) buses (except minibuses) — no more than 90 km/h; e) other vehicles: on a motorway marked with road sign 5.1 "Motorway" — no more than 130 km/h, on a road with separate carriageways divided by a median strip — no more than 110 km/h, on other roads — no more than 90 km/h.
Application to the question: a passenger car outside a populated area (and not subject to exceptions such as "less than 2 years of experience", trailer, etc.) belongs to "other vehicles", and on "other roads" the maximum speed is 90 km/h.
Clause 1.10 (term "Populated area")
Populated area — a built-up area, the entrances to and exits from which are marked by road signs 5.49, 5.50, 5.51, 5.52.
Application to the question: to apply the "outside populated areas" rules (clause 12.6), it is necessary to determine that driving is taking place outside a populated area — this is established, in particular, by signs 5.51/5.52 (or 5.49/5.50).
Clause 33.5.52 — 33 "Road signs", 5 "Information signs", sign 5.52 "End of populated area"
Sign 5.52 "End of populated area" — indicates the end of a populated area, within which the requirements of these Rules that determine the procedure for driving in populated areas do not apply.
Application to the question: after sign 5.52, the road section is considered to be outside a populated area, so the speed regime from clause 12.6 applies.
Clause 33.5.1 — 33 "Road signs", 5 "Information signs", sign 5.1 "Motorway"
Sign 5.1 "Motorway" — indicates a road on which special driving conditions provided for by these Rules apply.
Application to the question: clause 12.6 directly sets an increased maximum speed of 130 km/h only for roads marked with sign 5.1; if there is no such sign, another limit applies (for "other roads" — 90 km/h).
Therefore, the correct answer is "90 km/h", given that according to the definition of the Traffic Rules for a passenger car outside a populated area on "other roads" (not a motorway and not a road with a median strip), clause 12.6 e) sets the maximum speed at 90 km/h.
In the image, the car has already left the populated area: this is confirmed by road sign 5.52 "End of populated area." Therefore, the speed limits established for driving outside populated areas apply further on.
The road has two-way traffic with one lane in each direction. The opposing flows are only separated by road markings, and there is no dividing strip. There are also no signs indicating that this is a motorway (sign 5.1) or a road with separate carriageways divided by a median strip. That is, this is an "other automobile road" as defined in clause 12.6 (e) of the Traffic Rules.
According to clause 12.6 (e) of the Traffic Rules of Ukraine, outside populated areas for other vehicles (in particular, for a passenger car without a trailer) on such "other automobile roads," the maximum permitted speed is 90 km/h, unless there are additional road signs setting a different limit. The question also directly states that the case of a driver with less than 2 years of experience is not considered, so the 70 km/h restriction does not apply here.
Therefore, the correct answer is "90 km/h," since outside a populated area on an ordinary road without a dividing strip, the general limit of 90 km/h applies to a passenger car according to clause 12.6 (e) of the Traffic Rules.