12.9. What is the maximum permitted speed for the white car on a road outside populated areas?
UAЗ якою максимальною швидкістю дозволено рух білому автомобілю на дорозі за межами населених пунктів?
This exam question from the Traffic Rules of Ukraine concerns road safety and speed selection in non-standard conditions, when one vehicle is towing another. During towing, the braking distance increases, the risk of jerks at the coupling rises, and control becomes more difficult for both drivers, which is why the traffic rules set special, stricter limits than the general speed limits outside populated areas.
The question tests knowledge of the section of the Traffic Rules regarding speed, particularly the requirements of clause 12.7, as well as understanding of the term "towing" from clause 1.10. In the theoretical exam, it is important to distinguish general speed regimes (for regular driving outside populated areas) from special cases where separate norms apply. Towing is just such a case: regardless of the type of road or location, a single speed limit is established.
The analysis of answer options boils down to the fact that 40 km/h and 60–70 km/h do not correspond to the direct norm of clause 12.7. The value of 40 km/h may be misleading due to other rules (for example, features of driving on a motorway), but it is not the maximum permitted limit specifically for towing. The options 60 and 70 km/h reflect typical "regular" speeds outside populated areas, but during towing they are prohibited, as a separate restriction applies.
Practically, this knowledge helps to avoid dangerous situations: the tow driver should start smoothly, pre-tension the coupling, avoid sharp maneuvers, and brake in advance. In real traffic, it is advisable to choose a speed even lower than the established limit if the surface is slippery or visibility is limited, but the maximum permitted speed in towing mode is determined precisely by clause 12.7 of the Traffic Rules of Ukraine.
Clause 12.7
During towing, the speed must not exceed 50 km/h.
Clause 1.10 (term "Towing")
Towing is the movement of one vehicle by another vehicle, which does not belong to the operation of road trains (vehicle combinations), using a rigid or flexible coupling, or by partially loading onto a platform or a special supporting device.
That is, the correct answer is "50 km/h," given that according to the definition in the Traffic Rules, during towing (moving one vehicle by another), the speed is directly limited by clause 12.7 to no more than 50 km/h, regardless of whether the movement takes place within a populated area or outside it.
In this situation, the white car is not driving in the usual mode, but is towing another vehicle. Towing is considered the movement of one car by another using a coupling (flexible or rigid) or partial loading, meaning this is a separate driving mode with increased safety requirements.
That is why the speed is determined not by the general limits for roads outside populated areas, but by a special rule. Clause 12.7 of the Traffic Rules of Ukraine establishes a separate restriction: during towing, the maximum speed must not exceed 50 km/h. This restriction applies regardless of where the towing takes place: within a populated area or outside it.
The logic of this rule is simple: during towing, the risk of jerks increases, the braking distance becomes longer, and controlling both vehicles becomes more difficult, so the safe driving mode is limited to a lower speed. Therefore, even if the road outside the city allows for higher speeds under normal conditions, during towing you must adhere to the special limit.
Thus, the correct answer is "50 km/h," because during towing a special speed limit under clause 12.7 of the Traffic Rules applies, which does not allow exceeding 50 km/h regardless of the location.