16.2.52. Which vehicle will pass the intersection third?
UAЯкий транспортний засіб проїде перехрестя третім?
This is an exam question from the Traffic Rules of Ukraine about the safe passage of uncontrolled intersections and the ability to correctly determine the order of movement according to priority signs. Such situations are among the most risky in the city: a mistake in assessing the main and secondary roads or ignoring the tram's right of way often leads to accidents. Therefore, theoretical exams regularly include tasks where you need to apply traffic rules in combination, rather than automatically using the “obstacle on the right” rule.
The question tests the section of the Traffic Rules regarding passing intersections on roads of unequal importance (points 16.11–16.13). First, it is determined who is moving on the main road: according to point 16.11, vehicles on the secondary road must yield to those approaching on the main road, regardless of their further direction. Next, among participants on the main road, point 16.12 applies: at an uncontrolled intersection, a tram has priority over non-rail vehicles approaching on an equivalent road, so the tram passes before the blue car. After that, it is the turn of the vehicles on the secondary road, and here point 16.13 applies: when turning left, the driver must yield to oncoming traffic moving straight or to the right, so the black car (which is turning left) yields to the white car, and the white car passes earlier.
The analysis of the options in the ticket is logical: the tram cannot be “third,” because it has priority at an uncontrolled intersection over non-rail vehicles on an equivalent route (point 16.12) and passes earlier. The blue car also will not be third, as it is moving on the main road and according to point 16.11 must pass before any vehicles from the secondary road. The black car is not suitable either, because it is the one making a left turn and must yield to the oncoming white car (point 16.13), so it cannot pass before it in the queue. In practice, this knowledge helps both in the exam and in real traffic: first, determine the priority of the roads by the signs, then separately consider the tram's priority, and only after that resolve the conflict between cars on the secondary road.
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 this intersection along the main road, regardless of their further direction of movement.
Application: vehicles moving on the main road (in this case — the tram and the blue car) pass first, while vehicles on the secondary road (the white and black cars) wait.
Clause 16.12
At any uncontrolled intersection, a tram, regardless of its further direction of movement, has priority over non-rail vehicles approaching it on an equivalent road, except at intersections with organized roundabouts.
Application: between the tram and the blue car (both approaching on the main road), priority is given to the tram, so it will pass before the blue car.
Clause 16.13
Before turning left or making a U-turn, the driver of a non-rail vehicle must yield to a tram moving in the same direction, as well as to vehicles moving straight or to the right on an equivalent road in the opposite direction.
Application: after the vehicles on the main road have passed, the order between the cars on the secondary road is determined by their mutual arrangement: the car turning left (black) must yield to the oncoming car going straight/right (white). Therefore, the white car will pass before the black car.
Thus, the correct answer is "The white car.", considering that first, vehicles on the main road have priority (clause 16.11), among them the tram goes first (clause 16.12), and of the two cars on the secondary road, the white car has priority because the black car is making a left turn and must yield to the oncoming car (clause 16.13).
We are looking at an uncontrolled intersection of roads with different priorities. This is evident from the presence of priority signs: some vehicles are approaching on the main road, while others are on the secondary road. In such a situation, we first determine who is traveling on the main road, as they have the right of way.
According to paragraph 16.11 of the Traffic Rules of Ukraine, drivers moving on the secondary road must yield to vehicles approaching on the main road, regardless of their further direction of movement. Therefore, the tram and the blue car should go first, as they are on the main road, while the white and black cars are on the secondary road and must wait.
Next, we need to determine the order between the tram and the blue car, since they may intersect at the intersection. Here, we apply paragraph 16.12 of the Traffic Rules of Ukraine: at an uncontrolled intersection, a tram has priority over non-rail vehicles approaching it from an equivalent road. Since the tram and the blue car are both on the main road (that is, they are on roads of equal priority with respect to each other), the tram goes first, the blue car second.
After this, there remains a pair of vehicles on the secondary road: the white and black cars. There is also a conflict of trajectories between them, so the order is determined by paragraph 16.13 of the Traffic Rules of Ukraine: before turning left, the driver must yield to vehicles approaching from the opposite direction on an equivalent road going straight or turning right. In this situation, the black car, making a left turn, must yield to the white car, which is oncoming and does not have to yield.
Thus, the order of movement will be as follows: first the tram, second the blue car, third the white car, fourth the black car.
Therefore, the correct answer is "White car," since after the vehicles on the main road have passed (the tram first according to p. 16.12, the blue car second), on the secondary road, the black car, turning left, is required to yield to the white car according to p. 16.13.