14.15. Is the driver of the yellow car allowed to overtake in this situation?
UAЧи дозволено водієві жовтого автомобіля виконати обгін у цій ситуації?
This is an exam question from the Traffic Rules of Ukraine concerning road safety during maneuvers on a multi-lane road. The greatest risk here is associated with entering the oncoming traffic lane, as such actions most often lead to head-on collisions. The theoretical exam often includes situations where it is necessary to clearly distinguish between overtaking and passing, and to understand when a maneuver is directly prohibited by the traffic rules.
The question tests Section 14 "Overtaking" and the definitions from clause 1.10: overtaking is passing with entry into the oncoming lane. In the given conditions, the road has two lanes in one direction, so the direct prohibition from clause 14.6 (g) of the Traffic Rules of Ukraine applies: on roads with two or more lanes in one direction, overtaking (that is, entering the oncoming lane) is not allowed. The logic of the rule is simple: when there are two lanes in your direction, there is no need to create a dangerous conflict with oncoming vehicles.
The analysis of the answer options comes down to understanding the terms and prohibitions. The statement that the maneuver is always allowed contradicts the direct rule of clause 14.6 (g). The condition about a speed of less than 30 km/h also does not make overtaking permissible in this situation, because the restriction from clause 14.6 (g) does not depend on the speed of the vehicles moving in the same direction: on such a road, you should not "overtake," but rather pass within your direction, using the available lanes without entering the oncoming lane. This knowledge helps you act correctly in practice and answer theoretical exam questions without mistakes.
Clause 14.6 g) (Section 14 "Overtaking")
Overtaking is prohibited: g) on roads that have two or more lanes for movement in one direction.
Clause 1.10 (term "Overtaking")
Overtaking is the passing of one or more vehicles involving entering the oncoming traffic lane.
Clause 1.10 (term "Passing")
Passing is the movement of a vehicle at a speed exceeding the speed of a vehicle moving in the same direction in the adjacent lane.
Clause 11.2 (Section 11 "Position of Vehicles on the Road")
On roads that have two or more lanes for movement in one direction, drivers must drive as close as possible to the right edge of the carriageway, except in cases of bypassing, passing, turning left, or making a U-turn.
Thus, the correct answer is "Prohibited," given that the intended maneuver is overtaking (entering the oncoming traffic lane), and overtaking on roads with two or more lanes for movement in one direction is directly prohibited by clause 14.6 g) of the Traffic Rules.
Let's start with the fact that according to the Traffic Rules, overtaking is considered to be passing another vehicle that necessarily involves entering the oncoming traffic lane. That is, if the driver of the yellow car intends to enter the oncoming lane to pass, this is overtaking.
In this situation, the road has two lanes in one direction and one lane in the opposite direction. Under these conditions, the Rules explicitly prohibit overtaking: clause 14.6 (g) states that on roads with two or more lanes in one direction, overtaking (i.e., entering the oncoming lane) is not allowed. The logic is simple: when there are already at least two lanes in your direction, there is no need to enter the oncoming lane, and the risk of a head-on collision appears.
If the yellow car needs to travel faster than the vehicle ahead, in such conditions, it should not overtake, but rather pass within its direction using the available lanes, without entering the oncoming lane. That is why overtaking in the situation shown is not allowed by the Rules.
Therefore, the correct answer is "Prohibited," since overtaking involves entering the oncoming lane, and on a road with two lanes in one direction, this is explicitly prohibited by clause 14.6 (g) of the Traffic Rules of Ukraine.