35.31. While driving on which section of the road is the effect of a strong side wind the most dangerous?
UAПід час руху якою ділянкою дороги дія сильного бокового вітру найбільш небезпечна?
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This is an exam question from the Traffic Rules of Ukraine about road safety and the impact of road conditions on vehicle control. Strong crosswinds are dangerous because they act on the side surface of the vehicle, worsen directional stability, and can suddenly push the car off its trajectory. The risk is especially high for vehicles with large "sail area" (buses, vans, tarpaulin trucks, tall vehicles), which the wind can sway or even overturn.
This question is included in the theoretical exam to check understanding of how danger changes on different road sections and how a driver should respond to such factors. It is directly related to the requirements of the traffic rules regarding attentiveness and monitoring changes in the situation (clause 2.3), choosing a safe speed considering driving conditions (clause 12.1), and immediately reducing speed in case of danger (clause 12.3). The most critical situation arises at the boundary between a "protected" zone (forest belt, cut, dense buildings) and open space (field, steppe, clearing, bridge), where a gust often appears suddenly and without warning.
The analysis of options in this exam question is logical: on an open section, the wind can be strong, but the driver usually feels it constantly and has time to adapt the speed and position of the car. On a section closed by trees, the effect of the crosswind is usually weakened by the natural "screen." The most dangerous situation is when the car exits from a closed section to an open one: the protection disappears instantly, and a sudden crosswind gust may force abrupt steering, provoke driving onto the shoulder or into the oncoming lane, which is why this moment is considered the most risky according to safe driving rules.
Clause 2.3 (b)
To ensure road safety, the driver is obliged to: be attentive, monitor the traffic situation, respond appropriately to its changes, monitor the correct placement and securing of cargo, the technical condition of the vehicle, and not be distracted from driving this vehicle while on the road.
Brief application: when exiting from a "closed" section (forest, cut, built-up area) to an open one, the traffic situation changes abruptly due to a possible gust of side wind — the driver must be ready to react immediately.
Clause 12.1
When choosing a safe driving speed within the established limits, the driver must take into account the traffic situation, the specifics 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.
Brief application: a strong side wind (especially gusty) is an element of the traffic situation that worsens directional stability, so it requires choosing such a speed as to maintain control of the vehicle when entering an open section.
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 to safely bypass the obstacle for other road users.
Brief application: a gust of side wind when entering open terrain is a danger to traffic; the driver must be ready to immediately reduce speed and stabilize the trajectory in order not to drive onto the shoulder or into the oncoming lane.
That is, the correct answer is "When exiting from a closed section to an open one," given that, according to the traffic rules, the driver must constantly monitor changes in the traffic situation (clause 2.3(b)), choose a safe speed taking this situation into account (clause 12.1), and in case of danger, immediately reduce speed up to stopping (clause 12.3), and the most abrupt dangerous change due to side wind typically occurs precisely when exiting from a "closed" section to an open one.
While driving, a car maintains its direction thanks to directional stability: the steering wheel is set straight, and the driver expects the vehicle to move evenly. A strong side wind disrupts this balance because it presses against the side surface of the vehicle and can push it sideways, forcing the driver to steer sharply.
This is most dangerous precisely at the moment of exiting from a sheltered section onto an open one. In a sheltered section (forest belt, cut, built-up area), the car is partially protected from the wind, so the effect of gusts is either weaker or almost not felt. However, when the driver suddenly enters an open area (field, steppe, clearing, open section after a forest), a sharp side wind gust appears without warning. At this moment, the driver often does not have time to prepare in advance, and the car can be suddenly "pushed" to the side.
The risk is especially high for vehicles with a large side area, that is, with greater "sail effect": buses, vans, tarpaulin trucks, as well as tall vehicles. The wind can noticeably sway and deflect them from their trajectory, which can lead to driving onto the shoulder or into the oncoming lane, and in strong gusts, even to overturning.
Therefore, the correct answer is "When exiting from a sheltered section onto an open one," because it is at the boundary between the "protected" and open area that a sudden strong side gust occurs, which sharply worsens directional stability and can shift the vehicle from its trajectory.