18.6. How should drivers act in a situation when a pedestrian, stepping onto the carriageway, gives a signal with a white cane pointed forward?
UAЯк повинні вчинити водії в ситуації, коли пішохід, що виходить на проїзну частину, подає сигнал тростиною білого кольору, спрямованою вперед?
This exam question from the Traffic Rules of Ukraine concerns road safety and the interaction of drivers with pedestrians who require special attention. In real situations, a signal with a white cane means that a blind pedestrian or a person with significant visual impairment is entering the roadway, who may not be able to assess the distance and direction of approaching vehicles. That is why the traffic rules establish an increased duty of caution and priority for drivers towards such road users.
The question tests knowledge of the section of the Traffic Rules regarding yielding to pedestrians, specifically the requirements of clause 18.5: in any location, the driver is obliged to yield to blind pedestrians who signal with a white cane pointed forward. This is an important point for the theoretical exam: the rule applies not only at pedestrian crossings, but everywhere a driver may encounter such a pedestrian. In the context of the definition of "yield" (clause 1.10), this means not continuing to drive in a way that would force the pedestrian to change speed or direction, and, if necessary, to come to a complete stop.
The analysis of answer options highlights the logic of the rule. Sounding the horn "because crossing is prohibited here" is incorrect: the Traffic Rules of Ukraine explicitly require yielding to a blind pedestrian regardless of location, and the horn is used only in cases defined by the rules and does not replace the obligation to yield. The option "reduce speed and drive past" is also wrong, as it does not guarantee safety and may create an obstacle for a person who cannot accurately orient themselves. The only correct action for this exam question is to allow the pedestrian to cross the roadway safely, that is, to yield.
Clause 18.5
In any location, the driver must yield to blind pedestrians who signal with a white cane pointed forward.
This clause directly establishes the driver’s obligation to give way (yield) to a blind pedestrian who is entering the roadway and giving the specified signal, regardless of whether the location is marked as a pedestrian crossing.
Clause 1.10 (the term "Yield (do not create obstacles)")
Yield (do not create obstacles) — a requirement for a road user not to continue or resume movement, nor to perform any maneuvers, if this could force other road users who have the right of way to change their direction or speed.
This definition clarifies the meaning of the action "to yield": the driver is obliged not to create obstacles for the pedestrian and, if necessary, to stop so as not to force the pedestrian to change speed or direction.
Therefore, the correct answer is "Yield to the pedestrian," given that according to the definition in the Traffic Rules, the driver is obliged in any location to yield to a blind pedestrian who signals with a white cane pointed forward.
When a pedestrian steps onto the roadway and gives a signal with a white cane extended forward, the driver must understand: this is a blind pedestrian or a pedestrian with significant visual impairment. This signal is used specifically to warn drivers in advance about the danger and to indicate that the person has difficulty orienting themselves in the traffic environment.
Clause 18.5 of the Traffic Rules of Ukraine establishes an unequivocal obligation for the driver: blind pedestrians giving the specified signal with a white cane must be yielded to at any location. That is, this requirement applies not only at pedestrian crossings, but also outside them, regardless of where exactly the pedestrian began to cross.
In practice, this means that the driver must reduce speed in advance, be prepared to stop, and not create obstacles or danger for the pedestrian while they are crossing the roadway. It is important not to "rush ahead of them," but to actually allow the person to cross the road safely, because such a person may hear vehicles but is not always able to accurately determine their direction and distance.
Therefore, the correct answer is "Yield to the pedestrian," since the Traffic Rules (clause 18.5) require the driver to give way to a blind pedestrian giving a signal with a white cane extended forward, at any location.