16.1.24. How should the driver of the blue vehicle act when the traffic light turns green?
UAЯк повинен вчинити водій синього автомобіля у разі ввімкнення зеленого сигналу світлофора?
This exam question from the Traffic Rules of Ukraine tests one of the most important skills for road safety: how to act at a controlled intersection when the traffic light changes. In practice, it is at such moments that conflict situations and accidents most often occur, when a driver starts moving "on green" without making sure that the intersection has already been cleared by those who entered it earlier.
The question belongs to the topic of intersection crossing rules (section 16 of the Traffic Rules) and directly concerns the requirement of clause 16.5 of the Traffic Rules: when the permissive signal of the traffic light is on, the driver must yield to vehicles that are finishing their movement through the intersection, as well as to pedestrians who are completing their crossing. That is, the "green" signal for you does not cancel the obligation to check whether someone is finishing a maneuver within the intersection.
The analysis of answer options in this theoretical exam boils down to a simple rule: to start moving immediately, ignoring vehicles already at the intersection and completing a maneuver, means creating an obstacle and violating clause 16.5. Instead, the correct logic of a driver who has received the traffic light's permission is to yield to the vehicle that is finishing its passage, and only after the intersection is cleared, safely continue moving according to the traffic light signal. This is a basic principle that is regularly checked in exam questions, because it directly affects the conflict-free passage of intersections.
Clause 16.5
When a signal is given by a traffic controller or a traffic light signal permitting movement is activated, the driver must yield to vehicles completing their movement through the intersection, as well as to pedestrians finishing their crossing.
Application: even when the green signal lights up for the blue car, it does not have the right to start moving if this would create an obstacle for a vehicle (the green car) that is already in the intersection and finishing its passage/maneuver.
Clause 16.1
An intersection where the right of way is determined by traffic light signals or a traffic controller is considered regulated. At such an intersection, priority signs do not apply. If the traffic light is off or operating in flashing yellow mode and there is no traffic controller, the intersection is considered unregulated, and drivers must follow the rules for unregulated intersections and the relevant road signs installed at the intersection.
Application: the situation takes place at a regulated intersection, so the actions of the drivers are determined by the traffic light signals and the special rules of Section 16, in particular the requirement of Clause 16.5 to yield to those completing their movement through the intersection.
That is, the correct answer is "Yield to the green car that is completing its movement through the intersection," given that according to the definition of the Traffic Rules, when a permissive signal is activated, the driver must yield to vehicles completing their movement through the intersection (Clause 16.5).
The image shows a signal-controlled intersection, meaning one where the order of passage is determined by the traffic light signals. In this situation, drivers are guided specifically by the traffic light signals, not by the logic of "who went first" or any priority signs.
At the moment when the green signal turns on for the blue car, this does not yet mean that you can immediately start moving without checking the intersection. It should be considered that there may still be a vehicle in the intersection that entered it earlier and is now just finishing its maneuver.
This is exactly the situation shown: the green car is finishing passing through the intersection (for example, completing a left turn, waiting for an opportunity to cross the oncoming flow). Due to heavy traffic, the driver of the green car could have ended up in the intersection at the moment the signal changed, and will only be able to finish the maneuver when the oncoming vehicles stop.
According to clause 16.5 of the Traffic Rules of Ukraine, when a traffic light signal permitting movement is switched on, the driver must yield to those vehicles that are finishing their passage through the intersection. That is, the blue car should only start moving after the green car has safely completed its maneuver and cleared the intersection.
Therefore, the correct answer is "Yield to the green car that is finishing its movement through the intersection," because according to clause 16.5 of the Traffic Rules, when the permitted signal is switched on, the driver is required to let vehicles that are already in the intersection and finishing their passage go first.
