31.18. Under what conditions is further movement of the vehicle prohibited if the windshield wiper on the side of the steering wheel is not functioning?
UAЗа яких умов заборонено подальший рух транспортного засобу, якщо не працює склоочисник з боку розміщення керма?
This is an exam question from the Traffic Rules of Ukraine concerning the technical condition of the vehicle and the safety of visibility while driving. Properly functioning windshield wipers directly affect the driver's ability to monitor the road situation: to see road markings, pedestrians, traffic light signals, and other vehicles. That is why the traffic rules specifically define situations when a malfunction becomes critical and requires an immediate stop of the trip.
The question tests knowledge of the section of the Traffic Rules regarding technical malfunctions and the conditions under which further movement is prohibited (paragraph 31.6 (c)). The logic of the rule is simple: when there is precipitation, the windshield quickly becomes covered with water or snow, and a non-working wiper on the steering wheel side deprives the driver of normal visibility. Therefore, the answer that prohibition applies only during rain or snowfall is correct for the theoretical exam.
The analysis of the options in this exam question is as follows: the statement about prohibition "under any circumstances" is too categorical, since paragraph 31.6 (c) specifically ties the prohibition of further movement to precipitation conditions. The option that a faulty wiper "is not an obstacle in any case" contradicts the Traffic Rules and ignores the key risk—the loss of visibility. In practice, if precipitation begins while driving and the wiper on the driver's side fails, you should safely stop in a permitted place and fix the problem or wait for conditions to improve, as visibility is a basic requirement for safe driving.
Clause 31.6 (c)
Further movement of vehicles is prohibited if: c) during rain or snowfall, the windshield wiper on the side of the steering wheel does not work.
That is, the correct answer is "During rain or snowfall," given that according to the definition in the Traffic Rules, further movement is directly prohibited if, in the presence of precipitation, the windshield wiper on the side of the steering wheel does not work.
The Traffic Rules specifically highlight the situation when a windshield wiper malfunction becomes a critical danger. This refers to the wiper on the side where the steering wheel is located, meaning the one that provides the driver with a view through the windshield.
According to clause 31.6 [v], further movement is prohibited if, during rain or snowfall, the wiper on the driver’s side is not working. The logic is simple: during precipitation, the windshield quickly becomes covered with water or snow, and without a functioning wiper, the driver essentially loses proper visibility. If the driver cannot see the road situation, they cannot timely assess the distance, road markings, traffic light signals, pedestrians, or obstacles, and therefore cannot guarantee safe driving.
In practice, it looks like this: you are driving, it starts to rain, and the wiper on the driver’s side stops working. After a short time, visibility deteriorates so much that further movement becomes dangerous. In such a case, you must stop at a permitted place and resolve the issue (wait for the precipitation to end or fix the malfunction), because it is precisely during precipitation that this malfunction directly prohibits further movement.
Therefore, the correct answer is "During rain or snowfall," because according to clause 31.6 [v], in case of precipitation, a malfunctioning wiper on the driver’s side does not provide the necessary visibility, and thus further movement becomes unacceptable for safety reasons.