33.5.36. What do these two road signs have in common?
UAЩо спільного у цих двох дорожніх знаків?
This is an exam question from the Traffic Rules of Ukraine about road signs that organize the movement of vehicles by lanes. Such signs directly affect safety: they help to choose the correct lane in advance, avoid dangerous lane changes before or after an intersection, and prevent driving into oncoming traffic.
The question tests knowledge of the section "Road Signs" (information and direction signs 5.16 "Directions of movement by lanes" and 5.17.1 "Direction of movement by lanes") and understanding of the term "traffic lane" from paragraph 1.10 of the traffic rules. According to the definition in the Traffic Rules, both signs convey key information to the driver through arrows on the lanes: which directions of movement are allowed from each lane and how the lanes are distributed for movement.
If we analyze the options, linking only to the place of installation is incorrect: one sign is indeed used before intersections, but the other is often installed after intersections or in areas where it is necessary to show the distribution of lanes, so the common feature is not just "before intersections." The wording about "the number of lanes in the same direction" or "the number of lanes on the carriageway" is also not a common feature in the strict sense: 5.16 describes lanes at the intersection, while 5.17.1 describes lanes on the carriageway and their distribution among directions. What is common to both, and what the theoretical exam checks, is precisely the indication of the permitted directions of movement by lanes, that is, how the driver should move within their lane according to the sign.
In practice, this knowledge helps to correctly occupy a lane in advance, not create obstacles for others, and not violate the requirements for lane movement at intersections and on multi-lane roads. That is why such exam questions are important not only for memorization, but also for understanding the logic of traffic organization according to the Traffic Rules of Ukraine.
Clause 1.10 (term "Traffic lane")
Traffic lane — a longitudinal strip on the carriageway at least 2.75 m wide, which may be marked or unmarked with road markings and is intended for the movement of non-rail vehicles in a single row.
Clause 33.5 — 33 "Road signs", 5 "Information and direction signs", sign 5.16 "Directions of movement by lanes"
Indicates the number of traffic lanes at an intersection and the permitted directions of movement for each of them. The sign applies to the intersection before which it is installed.
Clause 33.5 — 33 "Road signs", 5 "Information and direction signs", sign 5.17.1 "Direction of movement by lanes"
Indicates the number of lanes on the carriageway and the directions of movement of vehicles for each of them.
Thus, the correct answer is "Indicate the permitted movement by lanes," considering that according to the definition in the Traffic Rules, signs 5.16 and 5.17.1 establish (indicate) the permitted directions of movement for each traffic lane.
In these questions, it is important not to look for the “external similarity” of the signs, but to recall their purpose according to the Traffic Rules. Both signs belong to the informational-guidance category and are used when a driver needs to understand in advance which maneuvers are permitted from each lane.
Sign 5.16 is used before an intersection. It shows the lanes specifically for your direction of travel as you approach the intersection and uses arrows to indicate which directions are allowed from each lane: for example, from the left lane you can only turn left, from the middle lane only go straight, and from the right lane either go straight or turn right. In other words, the sign “assigns” permitted maneuvers to the lanes so that the driver can take the necessary lane in advance.
Sign 5.17.1 is installed on roads with two-way traffic, usually after an intersection. It is also “read” by lanes: it shows how many lanes are on the carriageway and how they are distributed between directions of travel. From this sign, the driver understands how many lanes are allocated for movement in their direction and, accordingly, how it is permitted to drive in these lanes without entering oncoming traffic lanes.
Thus, what is common in signs 5.16 and 5.17.1 is not the place of installation and not that one is “about intersections” and the other is “about the road in general.” What they have in common is that both organize traffic by lanes and provide the driver with information about which lane is intended for which direction or which directions are allowed from each lane.
Therefore, the correct answer is “Indicate permitted movement by lanes,” since both signs, using lanes and arrows, inform the driver how it is allowed to move in each lane (which directions are available and how the lanes are distributed for movement).