16.2.18. What is the order of passage of vehicles at this intersection?
UAЯка черговість проїзду транспортних засобів на даному перехресті?
This is an exam question from the Traffic Rules of Ukraine about the safe passage of an uncontrolled intersection, where priority is determined by road signs and the "Direction of the main road" plate. Such situations are important for the theoretical exam because it is at intersections that trajectory conflicts most often arise, and a mistake in priority leads to accidents. The key skill here is to quickly determine who is moving on the main road and who is approaching from the secondary road, and to correctly apply the traffic rules for passing through.
The question tests the section of the Traffic Rules "Passing intersections" (specifically points 16.11 and 16.14) and the ability to read priority signs. First, vehicles moving on the main road have priority (p. 16.11), and when the main road changes direction at the intersection, drivers on the main road yield to each other as at an intersection of equal roads, that is, according to the "obstacle on the right" rule (p. 16.14). Additionally, you must remember the general principle of tram priority over non-rail vehicles in uncontrolled situations, which often becomes decisive when determining the order of passage.
The correct logic for the answer is as follows: first, the participants on the main road pass, with the tram as a rail vehicle going first, and the red car may proceed in parallel if their trajectories do not conflict and it does not force the tram to change speed or direction. Then, the yellow car cannot go before the red one, because on a "main road with a turn" the "obstacle on the right" rule applies between them, and for the yellow car, the red car is on the right. A scenario where tram 1 goes first, or where the blue car overtakes tram 1, contradicts the basic order of "main before secondary" and the tram's priority over non-rail vehicles at uncontrolled intersections.
In practice, this task teaches not to confuse the two steps: first, determine the priority between directions (main/secondary), and then the order among those who simultaneously have priority, applying p. 16.14. This sequence of thinking helps to confidently pass the theoretical exam and act safely in real traffic, especially where there are tram tracks and the main road changes direction.
Clause 16.11
At an intersection of roads of unequal importance, the driver of a vehicle moving on a secondary road must yield to vehicles approaching on the main road, regardless of the direction of their further movement.
Brief application: vehicles on the main road pass first (in this task — tram 2, red and yellow cars), and only then — vehicles from the secondary road (tram 1 and blue car).
Clause 16.14
If the main road at the intersection changes direction, drivers of vehicles moving along it must follow the rules for passing intersections of roads of equal importance among themselves. The same rule applies to drivers moving on secondary roads among themselves.
Brief application: among vehicles simultaneously on the main road, the order is determined as at an intersection of equal roads (i.e., by the "obstacle on the right" rule), so the yellow car yields to the red car, and the red car can proceed "together" with tram 2 if their paths do not conflict.
Clause 16.13
At an intersection of roads of equal importance, the driver of a non-rail vehicle must yield to vehicles approaching from the right.
Brief application: this rule is directly used by reference from clause 16.14 to determine the order between cars on the main road (the yellow car has an "obstacle on the right" — the red car) and between vehicles on the secondary road (for the blue car, the "obstacle on the right" is tram 1, with additional consideration of the tram's priority under clause 16.12).
Clause 16.12
At any uncontrolled intersection, a tram, regardless of the direction of its further movement, has priority over non-rail vehicles approaching it on a road of equal importance, except at intersections where a roundabout is organized.
Brief application: on the secondary (equal among themselves) road, tram 1 has priority over the blue car; also, on the main road, tram 2 does not "lose" priority over non-rail vehicles in situations where the rules for equal intersections are applied under clause 16.14 (the tram, as a rail vehicle, has priority over non-rail vehicles on equal roads).
Clause 1.10 (term "Yield")
Yield — a requirement for a road user not to resume or continue movement, or perform any maneuvers, if this may force other road users who have priority to change direction or speed.
Brief application: explains why "simultaneous" passage is possible only in the absence of conflicting paths and provided that there is no need for the priority vehicle to change speed/direction.
Clause 33.2.1 — 33 "Road Signs", 2 "Priority Signs", sign 2.1 "Yield"
Sign 2.1 "Yield" — the driver must yield to vehicles moving along the intersecting road.
Brief application: confirms that vehicles from the secondary direction (in this task — tram 1 and blue car) are obliged to yield to vehicles moving on the main road (in this task — tram 2, red and yellow cars).
Clause 33.7.8 — 33 "Road Signs", 7 "Plates to Road Signs", plate 7.8 "Direction of the Main Road"
Plate 7.8 "Direction of the Main Road" — informs about the direction of the main road at the intersection.
Brief application: by this plate, it is determined who is on the main road (bold line) and who is on the secondary road (thin line), which is the basis for applying clauses 16.11 and 16.14.
Thus, the correct answer is: "Tram 2 simultaneously with the red car, yellow car, tram 1, blue car.", given that according to the definition of the Traffic Rules, vehicles on the main road pass first (clause 16.11, sign 2.1 and plate 7.8), among them the order is determined as at an intersection of equal roads (clause 16.14, clause 16.13), and on the secondary road the tram has priority over non-rail vehicles (clause 16.12).
In front of us is an uncontrolled intersection, where priority is set by signs and a plate indicating the direction of the main road. First, we determine who is moving on the main road: tram 2, the red car, and the yellow car are on it. Tram 1 and the blue car are approaching from the secondary road, so they must yield to those on the main road.
Next, we apply clause 16.14 of the Traffic Rules of Ukraine: if the main road changes direction at the intersection, drivers moving on the main road must yield to each other according to the rules for roads of equal importance, that is, according to the "give way to the vehicle on the right" principle. This rule is specifically needed to determine the order not between "main" and "secondary" roads, but among those who simultaneously have priority (all on the main road).
At an equal-priority crossing, we additionally take into account clause 16.11 of the Traffic Rules of Ukraine: a tram has priority over non-rail vehicles approaching it on a road of equal importance. Since tram 2 and the cars on the main road in this situation are essentially considered equal for the purpose of mutual crossing, tram 2 has the right to go first.
The red car can proceed together with tram 2, because their paths do not conflict within the intersection. The rules require yielding to those with priority, but do not require waiting if simultaneous passage does not interfere or create danger. Therefore, tram 2 goes first, and the red car can cross in parallel with it.
After this, between the two cars on the main road, the order is determined by the "vehicle on the right" rule according to clause 16.14: for the yellow car, the red car is a vehicle approaching from the right, so the yellow car must yield. When the red car has already passed (together with tram 2), the yellow car goes next.
Only after all vehicles on the main road have passed is it the turn of those on the secondary road: tram 1 and the blue car. Between them, the tram's priority applies again according to clause 16.11: tram 1 will go first, and the blue car will finish last.
Thus, the correct answer is "Tram 2 simultaneously with the red car, yellow car, tram 1, blue car," because first the vehicles on the main road go, with the tram having priority according to clause 16.11, and the order among participants on the main road when its direction changes is determined by the "vehicle on the right" rule according to clause 16.14, after which the participants from the secondary road go, where the tram again has priority over the car.