48.51. The duration of driving for a driver per week, including overtime work, must not exceed:
UAТривалість керування для водія на тиждень з урахуванням понаднормових робіт не повинна перевищувати:
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This exam question from the Traffic Rules of Ukraine concerns road safety through the control of driver fatigue and adherence to work and rest schedules. Limiting driving time directly reduces the risk of traffic accidents, as overfatigue impairs attention, reaction speed, and the ability to assess the road situation. For the theoretical exam, it is important to understand not only the general traffic rules but also related regulations that govern drivers' work.
In essence, this question tests knowledge of definitions and the scope of terms in the traffic rules, in particular the term "driver" from clause 1.10 of the Traffic Rules, as well as familiarity with special regulatory acts regarding the "driving period." Although the Traffic Rules provide definitions, the specific weekly driving time limit is established by the Regulation on Working Time and Rest Time for Drivers of Wheeled Vehicles (Section 3 "Driving Period," clause 3.4, Order of the Ministry of Transport and Communications No. 340). It is there that it is stated that the weekly driving duration, including overtime work, is limited by a clear threshold.
When explaining the answer options, it is important to remember: the correct one is the one that matches the standard in clause 3.4, which sets a maximum of 48 hours per week including overtime. The value of 47 hours does not correspond to any standard in this document, and 49 hours exceeds the permitted limit, even if the additional hours are formally considered "overtime." In practice, this means that any additional trips beyond the weekly limit will be a violation, so when preparing for the theoretical exam, it is important to clearly distinguish "driving time" from total working time and to know the established limits.
Clause 1.10 (term “Driver”)
“Driver — a person who operates a vehicle and holds a driver’s license (tractor-operator’s license, temporary permit to drive a vehicle, temporary coupon to drive a vehicle) of the appropriate category. A driver is also a person who is instructing in driving a vehicle while being directly in the vehicle.”
This clause of the Traffic Rules defines to whom the requirements regarding the driving/work and rest regime apply (that is, specifically to the “driver” as defined by the Traffic Rules). At the same time, the specific rule “48 hours per week (including overtime)” is not contained in the Traffic Rules, but in clause 3.4, section 3 “Driving Period” of the “Regulations on Working Time and Rest Time of Drivers of Wheeled Vehicles” (Order of the Ministry of Transport and Communications No. 340 dated 07.06.2010).
Thus, the correct answer is “48 hours.”, considering that according to the definition in the Traffic Rules, a “driver” is a person who operates a vehicle, and the weekly driving duration limit (including overtime) for a driver is established by a special regulatory act and amounts to 48 hours.
This question tests knowledge of the regulations that limit the total duration of driving a vehicle during a week. It refers specifically to the time when the driver is actually operating the vehicle, not the entire working time in general.
The Traffic Rules define who is considered a driver: this is a person who operates a vehicle and has the appropriate license, as well as an instructor who teaches driving while being in the vehicle. That is, these requirements apply to everyone who is actually driving.
The specific limitation is established by the Regulation on Working Time and Rest Time for Drivers of Wheeled Vehicles (Order of the Ministry of Transport and Communications No. 340). It explicitly states that the weekly driving duration, including overtime work, cannot exceed the established limit. An important point: this limit includes "overtime" hours, meaning the limit cannot be exceeded even by taking on additional shifts.
For example: if a driver drives 8 hours a day for 6 days, that is already 48 hours per week, and going out "for a couple more hours" would be a violation, because overtime is also included in this calculation.
Therefore, the correct answer is "48 hours," since the regulation directly limits the weekly driving time together with overtime to a maximum of 48 hours.