48.12. Is it permitted in this situation for a lorry to proceed if its mass is 10 t?
UAЧи дозволено в даній ситуації рух вантажного автомобіля, якщо його маса становить 10 т?
This exam question from the Traffic Rules of Ukraine tests the ability to correctly read and apply prohibitory road signs, which are crucial for road safety and the preservation of road surfaces. In the theoretical exam, tasks often appear where it is necessary to distinguish between similar vehicle parameters, so as not to confuse mass restrictions with axle load restrictions.
The question concerns Section 33 of the Traffic Rules, specifically prohibitory sign 3.16, which regulates the movement of vehicles exceeding the axle load limit. It is important to note that sign 3.16 only prohibits movement when the actual load on any axle exceeds the value indicated on the sign, not when the total vehicle mass is a certain value. Therefore, the truck mass mentioned in the question does not in itself prove an axle load violation: in reality, this mass is distributed over two or three axles, and the load on each will be less than the total mass.
The option that allows movement is logically justified, since the restriction concerns axle load, not “10 t total mass.” On the other hand, the answer about prohibition is based on a common student mistake: equating the vehicle’s total mass with axle load. Understanding this difference helps to answer exam questions correctly and confidently apply the traffic rules in real road conditions.
Clause 1.10 (term "Truck")
Truck — a vehicle that, by its design and equipment, is intended for the transportation of goods.
Clause 33.3.16 — 33 "Road signs", 3 "Prohibitory signs", sign 3.16 "Movement of vehicles with an axle load exceeding ... t is prohibited"
Prohibits the movement of vehicles whose actual axle load exceeds the value indicated on the sign.
The sign applies to the road (or section of road) at the beginning of which it is installed.
Thus, the correct answer is "Allowed.", considering that according to the definition in the Traffic Rules, sign 3.16 restricts only the actual axle load (not the total mass of the truck of 10 t).
In this situation, attention should be paid not to the total mass of the truck, but to what exactly the installed sign restricts.
Sign 3.16 from section 33 of the Traffic Rules of Ukraine prohibits the movement not of all "heavy" vehicles, but only those whose actual axle load exceeds the value indicated on the sign. That is, the key indicator is the axle load, not the total mass of the vehicle.
The question states that the mass of the truck is 10 tons. But this is a different parameter than the axle load. Even if the truck weighs 10 tons in total, this weight is distributed between the axles. For example, for a two-axle vehicle, this would be approximately 3.3 tons on the front axle and 6.7 tons on the rear axle (depending on the distribution), and for a three-axle vehicle—even less on each axle. In any case, the load on a single axle does not equal the total mass of the vehicle.
Since sign 3.16 prohibits movement only when the load on at least one axle exceeds the specified value, and in the given condition we only have the total mass of 10 tons (which is distributed between the axles), there is no reason to consider the sign's requirement violated. Therefore, movement in this situation is permitted.
Thus, the correct answer is "Permitted," since sign 3.16 limits axle load, not total mass, and a mass of 10 tons does not mean exceeding the load on any axle.