35.155. How should you act in a situation when approaching a bus that is boarding or disembarking organized groups of children?
UAЯк ви повинні вчинити в ситуації, наближаючись до автобуса, який виконує посадку або висадку організованих груп дітей?
This is an exam question from the Traffic Rules of Ukraine about safety near places where pedestrians, especially children, may suddenly appear on the roadway. Such situations are considered high-risk: a child may run out from behind the bus, change direction, or fail to assess the speed of a vehicle, so the driver is required to take precautionary actions in advance, not just "formally" maintain a safe distance.
The question tests knowledge of sections of the Traffic Rules that regulate passing special-purpose vehicles and the driver’s duties when approaching a bus with a "Children" sign during the boarding or disembarking of an organized group. The key rule here is paragraph 18.9 of the Traffic Rules: when approaching such a vehicle that has stopped with its orange flashing beacons and/or hazard lights on, the driver in the adjacent lane must reduce speed and, if necessary, stop to avoid hitting children. It is also important to be able to identify the bus itself according to the requirements of paragraph 30.3 regarding the "Children" identification sign.
The analysis of answer options in this block of the theoretical exam comes down to a simple principle: priority is maximum caution and readiness to stop completely. The option "to drive without reducing speed" is dangerous, because even with a sufficient lateral distance, a child may step into the lane, and there will be less time to react. The option of using the horn does not replace the requirement to reduce speed and may additionally frighten children and provoke chaotic actions. A combination of these two incorrect approaches also does not comply with the traffic rules, since the Traffic Rules of Ukraine directly require reducing speed and, if necessary, stopping.
Clause 18.9
When approaching a vehicle with the identification sign "Children" that has stopped with orange flashing beacons and/or hazard warning lights on, drivers of vehicles moving in the adjacent lane must reduce speed and, if necessary, stop to avoid hitting children.
Application explanation: this clause directly establishes the driver's obligation when approaching a bus (or other vehicle) transporting organized groups of children and performing boarding/alighting — to necessarily reduce speed and, if needed, stop, exercising increased caution.
Clause 30.3 (identification sign "Children")
The identification sign "Children" is a yellow square with a red border and the image of the road sign 1.33 "Children"; it is installed at the front and rear of vehicles transporting organized groups of children.
Application explanation: the question checks that the driver must recognize a bus transporting organized groups of children by this identification sign (in combination with beacons/hazard lights mentioned in clause 18.9).
That is, the correct answer is "Reduce speed and, if necessary, stop, being as careful as possible," given that according to the Traffic Rules, when approaching a vehicle with the identification sign "Children" that has stopped with orange flashing beacons and/or hazard warning lights on, the driver is obliged to reduce speed and, if necessary, stop to avoid hitting children.
When approaching a bus that is boarding or disembarking an organized group of children, the driver must immediately assess the situation as potentially dangerous. Children may suddenly appear on the roadway, move unpredictably, come out from behind the bus, or cross the road near it.
Clause 18.9 of the Traffic Rules requires drivers approaching a vehicle with the identification sign "Children," which has stopped and activated warning light signals (orange flashing beacons and/or hazard warning lights), to take measures to prevent running over children. In practice, this means you need to reduce your speed in advance so that you have time to see a child who may step onto the road and be able to react safely.
Imagine the bus is standing by the roadside, and children are exiting through the doors and may walk around the bus from the front or rear. If you are driving at normal speed, the risk of not stopping in time increases significantly. Therefore, the correct action is to reduce speed and be prepared to stop completely if there is the slightest danger or if children are near the roadway.
Therefore, the correct answer is "Reduce speed, and stop if necessary, being as cautious as possible," since clause 18.9 of the Traffic Rules obliges the driver, when approaching a bus with the "Children" sign that is boarding/disembarking and giving warning signals, to reduce speed in advance and stop if necessary to avoid running over children.