35.14. Where can you find information about the permissible mass of a trailer equipped with brakes for your passenger car?
UAДе Ви знайдете дані про допустиму масу причепа, обладнаного гальмами, для Вашого легкового автомобіля?
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This is an exam question from the Traffic Rules of Ukraine concerning the safe towing of trailers and the proper control of weight and loads. In real traffic, exceeding the permissible trailer weight (especially one equipped with brakes) affects the braking distance, handling, and stability of the vehicle, and may also lead to traffic violations and driver liability.
The question checks your understanding of where to look for the official technical specifications for your specific car, not general standards. This topic is from the section of the Traffic Rules about the driver's duties and vehicle documents (in particular, the requirement to have a registration document according to paragraph 2.1 "b"), as well as the terms and definitions of weight parameters in the traffic rules (definitions of "permissible maximum weight," "unladen weight"). In the theoretical exam, it is important to understand: permissible weights are set by the manufacturer for a specific model, so they are taken from the registration data.
The analysis of the options is simple: the Traffic Rules do not contain individual figures for each car, only general requirements and definitions, so you will not find the exact permissible weight of a braked trailer there. The insurance policy confirms the fact of insurance and contains the terms of the contract, but is not a source of technical parameters of the car. Instead, the technical passport (registration certificate) is the main document with the official characteristics of the vehicle, so it is used to check the permitted weights during towing.
Clause 2.1 (subclause "b")
The driver of a motor vehicle must have with them: the registration document for the vehicle (for vehicles of the Armed Forces, National Guard, State Border Guard Service, State Special Transport Service, State Special Communications Service, and other military formations — a technical certificate).
This clause checks the understanding that the "technical passport" (registration certificate) is the vehicle's registration document, which contains the main technical data, including those required to determine the permissible weights during operation (including for towing a trailer).
Clause 1.10 (term "Permissible maximum weight")
Permissible maximum weight — the weight of the equipped vehicle with cargo, driver, and passengers, as established by the manufacturer as the maximum allowable.
This clause checks that the "permissible weight" is a characteristic set by the manufacturer (and therefore is taken from the registration/technical document or manufacturer’s documentation, and not "calculated" from the Traffic Rules as a general rule for all cars).
Clause 1.10 (term "Unladen weight")
Unladen weight — the weight of the vehicle without the driver, passengers, and cargo.
This definition is basic for understanding the mass parameters of the vehicle, which in practice are given in the registration (technical) documents and are used to assess the possibility of towing.
That is, the correct answer is "In the technical passport," given that according to the Traffic Rules the driver is required to have the vehicle's registration document with them (clause 2.1 "b"), and the permissible weight parameters are determined by the manufacturer (the term "permissible maximum weight" from clause 1.10) and therefore are taken from the registration (technical) document.
When you plan to tow a trailer, it is important to know exactly what trailer mass your passenger car is allowed to tow, especially if the trailer is equipped with brakes. This is not a "general rule for everyone," but a parameter that depends on the specific car model, its design, and the loads permitted by the manufacturer.
The Traffic Rules establish general requirements for road safety and the technical condition of vehicles, but they do not contain individual figures for each make and model of car. That is, you will not get the exact permissible trailer mass for your particular car from the Traffic Rules.
Similarly, the insurance policy is not a source of technical specifications for the vehicle. It confirms the presence of insurance, but does not determine which trailer and with what mass the car can tow.
The only document where the official technical data of a specific car is recorded is its technical passport (registration document). It is there that the characteristics related to masses and loads are indicated, and using this data, the driver can check whether he or she will exceed the permissible parameters when towing a trailer, including a trailer with brakes.
Therefore, the correct answer is "In the technical passport," since the permissible trailer mass for a specific passenger car is its individual technical characteristic and is officially indicated in the vehicle's registration document.