19.13. How should you act if you are dazzled by the headlights of an oncoming vehicle at night?
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This exam question from the Traffic Rules of Ukraine tests the driver's knowledge of actions in a critical situation at night, when normal visibility is lost due to the bright headlights of oncoming traffic. Such moments are directly related to road safety: when blinded, the driver is temporarily unable to objectively assess the lane boundaries, the roadside, and obstacles, so any maneuver may result in leaving their lane or a collision.
The question belongs to the topic "Use of external lighting devices" (section 19 of the Traffic Rules) and is based on clause 19.3, as well as the definition of the term "blinding" from clause 1.10. In the theoretical exam, it is important to distinguish between simple reduced visibility (when it is sufficient to reduce speed to a safe level) and actual blinding, when the Traffic Rules require stopping in your lane and warning other road users with hazard lights until normal vision is restored.
The analysis of the answer options emphasizes this logic. The idea of stopping on the roadside may seem attractive, but in the case of blinding, it is dangerous: attempting to "move to the right" or change lanes is done almost blindly and can lead to hitting an obstacle or incorrectly assessing the edge of the roadway. The option of using the horn is not a mandatory action according to the traffic rules and does not solve the main problem — temporary loss of control over the traffic situation. That is why the correct algorithm in the Traffic Rules of Ukraine is to stop without changing your lane and turn on the hazard warning lights, and to continue driving only after the effects of blinding have disappeared.
Clause 1.10 (the term "Dazzling")
Dazzling — a physiological state of the driver caused by the effect of light on their vision, when the driver objectively cannot detect obstacles or recognize the boundaries of road elements at the minimum distance.
This term explains that in a "dazzling" situation, the driver actually loses the ability to drive safely, so the Traffic Rules establish a special mandatory procedure (stop without changing lanes and turn on the hazard warning lights).
Clause 19.3
In case of reduced visibility in the direction of travel caused by the headlights of oncoming vehicles, the driver must reduce speed to a level that does not exceed what is safe for the actual visibility conditions of the road in the direction of travel, and in case of dazzling — stop without changing lanes and turn on the hazard warning lights. Resuming movement is allowed only after the negative effects of dazzling have passed.
That is, the correct answer is "Stop without changing lanes and turn on the hazard warning lights," given that according to the definition in the Traffic Rules, dazzling deprives the driver of the ability to objectively control the traffic situation, and clause 19.3 directly requires in such a case to stop in your lane and turn on the hazard warning lights.
At night, being blinded by the headlights of an oncoming vehicle means that you temporarily lose the ability to properly assess the road situation: it becomes difficult to distinguish the lane boundaries, the shoulder, obstacles, and the distance to them. In this state, any maneuver (even a slight steering deviation) can lead to entering the oncoming lane or onto the shoulder.
The Traffic Rules of Ukraine, in clause 19.3, distinguish between two situations: when visibility is simply reduced due to headlights, and when actual blinding occurs. If it is only reduced visibility, the driver must reduce speed to a safe level. But if you feel that you actually "cannot see the road" and cannot confidently control the direction of movement, this is already blinding, and the rule's requirement becomes stricter: you must stop driving.
It is important to stop without changing your lane. The logic here is simple: when you have poor visibility, trying to change lanes or "move to the right" can be more dangerous than stopping, because you may not be able to assess the position of other vehicles, the edge of the roadway, or obstacles.
At the same time, you must turn on your hazard warning lights so that other drivers can understand in advance that your vehicle has stopped involuntarily or is stopping and may be an obstacle on the road. You are allowed to resume driving only after your vision recovers and you can once again safely control the road situation.
Therefore, the correct answer is "Stop without changing your lane and turn on the hazard warning lights," because according to clause 19.3 of the Traffic Rules, in the event of blinding, the driver must stop in their lane and warn other road users with the hazard warning lights until normal visibility is restored.