35.152. The worse the visibility, the higher the driving speed should be:
UAЧим гірша видимість, тим більшою має бути швидкість руху:
This exam question from the Traffic Rules of Ukraine concerns road safety and the choice of a safe speed depending on the traffic situation. It checks the basic understanding that speed must correspond to the actual road conditions, not just the permitted limits: in fog, rain, snowfall, twilight, or when blinded by headlights, the driver sees less, and therefore the risk of noticing danger too late increases sharply.
In content, this question belongs to the section of the Traffic Rules about speed and the driver's actions in case of danger (points 12.1–12.3), and is also related to the definition of insufficient visibility (point 1.10). In the theoretical exam, it is important to understand the principle: at night and in conditions of insufficient visibility, the speed must allow stopping within the visible section of the road. Therefore, as visibility decreases, the safe speed decreases, not increases.
The option that agrees with increasing speed in poor visibility is incorrect, because it reduces the time to recognize an obstacle and make a decision, and also makes the braking distance critically insufficient, especially on wet or slippery surfaces. The correct approach in the traffic rules is exactly the opposite: when danger appears or conditions arise that make its timely detection more difficult, the driver is obliged to reduce speed up to stopping if necessary, in order to maintain control of the vehicle and not create emergency situations.
Clause 12.1
When choosing a safe driving speed within the established limits, the driver must take into account the road conditions, the characteristics of the cargo being transported, and the condition of the vehicle, in order to be able to constantly control its movement and drive it safely.
Explanation of application: visibility in the direction of travel is a component of the road conditions, so as visibility decreases, the safe speed should decrease, not increase.
Clause 12.2
At night and in conditions of insufficient visibility, the driving speed must be such that the driver is able to stop the vehicle within the visible distance of the road.
Explanation of application: the lower the visibility, the lower the speed should be, so that it remains possible to stop within the section of road visible to the driver.
Clause 12.3
If a danger to traffic or an obstacle that the driver can objectively detect arises, he must immediately take measures to reduce speed up to stopping the vehicle or safely bypassing the obstacle for other road users.
Explanation of application: deterioration of visibility increases the risk of suddenly detecting an obstacle, so the Traffic Rules directly require a reduction in speed (up to stopping if necessary), not an increase.
Clause 1.10 (term "Insufficient visibility")
Insufficient visibility — road visibility of less than 300 m at dusk, in fog, rain, snowfall, etc.
Explanation of application: it is precisely these conditions (fog, precipitation, dusk) that reduce visibility and, according to clause 12.2, require such a reduction in speed that stopping within the visible distance of the road is possible.
That is, the correct answer is "No.", given that according to the definition of the Traffic Rules, speed at night and in conditions of insufficient visibility must ensure the possibility of stopping within the visible distance of the road, and therefore, as visibility worsens, it must decrease.
When choosing a speed, the driver must be guided not only by established limits but also by the actual road situation. The Traffic Rules require selecting a safe speed taking into account visibility in the direction of travel, so as to be able to constantly control the vehicle and stop within the visible section of the road.
When visibility worsens (fog, heavy rain, snowfall, twilight, glare from headlights), the driver notices danger later: a pedestrian, cyclist, stationary obstacle, sudden change in direction of another car, or even a road sign. If speed is increased in such a situation, there is less time for recognition and decision-making, and the risk of a delayed reaction rises sharply.
In addition, on wet or slippery surfaces, the braking distance increases. This means that even with the same driver reaction, the car will take longer to stop than on dry asphalt. In poor visibility conditions, the combination of higher speed and longer braking creates a situation where stopping before an obstacle within what you can actually see becomes impossible.
For example, in fog you may notice a car ahead or a person on the roadway only at a short distance. If the speed is too high, even immediate braking does not guarantee a timely stop, and this can lead to a collision or hitting someone.
Thus, the correct answer is "No.", because in conditions of poor visibility, speed must be reduced in order to have enough time to react and stop within the visible section of the road.