14.16. Is overtaking allowed in this situation?
UAЧи дозволено виконати обгін у цій ситуації?
This exam question from the Traffic Rules of Ukraine concerns the safety of maneuvering on roads with multiple lanes and an increased risk of conflict with oncoming traffic. Overtaking is one of the most dangerous maneuvers, as it involves entering the oncoming lane, so the traffic rules set clear prohibitions for certain types of roads and markings. Such situations often appear in the theoretical exam because they test not only knowledge of definitions but also the ability to correctly assess lane configurations.
The question tests Section 14 "Overtaking" and understanding of the term from point 1.10: overtaking is considered to be passing that requires entering the oncoming lane. In the given 2+1 road scheme (three lanes in total), performing the maneuver would require entering the oncoming lane, and point 14.6 (g) of the Traffic Rules of Ukraine directly prohibits overtaking on roads that have two or more lanes in one direction. On such sections, it is especially dangerous because vehicles in the oncoming direction may change lanes (for example, preparing for a left turn or a U-turn), and overtaking creates an unpredictable conflict of trajectories.
Therefore, the option "allowed in any case" contradicts the direct provision of Section 14. The option about "less than 30 km/h" also does not make the maneuver legal in this particular road configuration, since the key factor is not the speed of the vehicle ahead, but the prohibition of overtaking on roads where there are two or more lanes in one direction, as well as the type of road marking, which may further restrict entering the oncoming lane. In practice, a proper understanding of this topic helps to avoid head-on collisions and dangerous situations in areas where the order of lane use may change due to signs and markings.
Clause 1.10 (term “Overtaking”)
Overtaking — passing one or more vehicles, involving entering the oncoming traffic lane.
Clause 14.6 g) (Section 14 “Overtaking”)
Overtaking is prohibited: g) on roads that have two or more lanes for movement in one direction.
(Application: in the given situation, the road has three lanes (2+1 scheme), that is, in one direction there are two lanes, so overtaking is prohibited by the direct rule of clause 14.6 g).
Clause 34.1 — 34 “Road Markings”, 1 “Horizontal Markings”, marking 1.1
1.1 — narrow solid line; crossing it is prohibited.
(Application: if overtaking requires crossing line 1.1, such a maneuver additionally contradicts the marking requirements.)
Therefore, the correct answer is “Prohibited.”, given that overtaking (as entering the oncoming lane) is prohibited on roads that have two or more lanes for movement in one direction (clause 14.6 g), and crossing solid marking line 1.1 is also not allowed.
To answer this question, let’s first recall what overtaking means according to the Traffic Rules. Overtaking is considered to be passing another vehicle, which necessarily involves entering the oncoming traffic lane. That is, if the maneuver requires you to cross into oncoming traffic, it is overtaking.
In the given situation, the road has three lanes: one lane in your direction of travel and two lanes in the oncoming direction. To overtake the car ahead, the driver would have to enter the oncoming lanes, since there is only one lane in their direction. This is overtaking.
Next, we apply clause 14.6 (g) of the Traffic Rules of Ukraine: overtaking is prohibited on roads that have two or more lanes for traffic in one direction. In this road configuration, there are two such lanes in the oncoming direction. The rule is formulated generally: if a road has two or more lanes organized in any direction, overtaking on such a road is prohibited, because it creates an increased risk of conflict with vehicles that may change lanes in their direction (for example, to turn left or make a U-turn).
That is why, even if there is a slow or solitary vehicle ahead, in this particular situation overtaking is not allowed: the lane configuration falls under the direct prohibition of clause 14.6 (g).
Therefore, the correct answer is "Prohibited," because overtaking here requires entering the oncoming lane, and on a road where there are two lanes in one of the directions, overtaking is prohibited according to clause 14.6 (g) of the Traffic Rules of Ukraine.