48.69. The normal duration of a driver's working time must not exceed:
UAНормальна тривалість робочого часу водія 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 work organization. Overfatigue directly affects attention and reaction speed, so the traffic rules establish the driver’s duty to be attentive and not to be distracted (section on driver’s duties) and prohibit driving while fatigued (section on prohibitions for the driver). For the theoretical exam, it is important to understand: even if the Traffic Rules do not set exact figures for working hours, they require the driver to be in proper condition behind the wheel.
In essence, this question tests knowledge of related regulations to the Traffic Rules, which govern the work and rest schedule of drivers, as well as the ability to distinguish between “driving time” and total “working time.” The normal duration of working time is defined by a special regulatory act: the Regulation 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), which sets the standard weekly limit. That is why the correct answer is 40 hours, as it corresponds to the regulatory “normal” duration of the driver’s working week.
Other options (45 or 50 hours per week) may seem plausible due to the existence of different work schedules, shifts, and time accounting, but as “normal duration” they do not correspond to the established basic standard. In practice, this knowledge helps to correctly assess workload limits, plan rest, and avoid situations where the driver violates the traffic rules by getting behind the wheel while fatigued, which directly contradicts the requirements of the Traffic Rules of Ukraine regarding safe driving.
Clause 2.3 (driver's duties)
To ensure road safety, the driver is obliged, in particular, to be attentive, monitor the road situation, respond appropriately to its changes, and not be distracted from driving the vehicle.
This clause, in the context of the question, is indirectly related to the necessity for the driver to be in proper condition (including after sufficient rest), but does not establish the "40 hours per week" rule.
Clause 2.9 (driver prohibitions)
The driver is prohibited, in particular, from driving a vehicle while ill, fatigued, or under the influence of medications that reduce attention and reaction speed.
This clause checks the understanding that a driver is not allowed to drive while fatigued; however, the Traffic Rules do not specify a particular "normal duration of working hours."
Conclusion regarding compliance of the Traffic Rules and the question
The rule about the "normal duration of a driver's working hours — 40 hours per week" is not directly contained in the Traffic Rules of Ukraine; it is established by clause 2.2 of the "Regulations on working hours and rest time for drivers of wheeled vehicles," approved by the order of the Ministry of Transport and Communications No. 340 dated 07.06.2010.
Therefore, the correct answer is "40 hours per week," considering that according to the definition of the Traffic Rules, the working time regime is not regulated by the Traffic Rules, and the Traffic Rules only prohibit driving while fatigued, whereas the specific limit of 40 hours/week is established by a special regulatory act.
During exam preparation, it is important to distinguish between driving time and the total working time of the driver. Working time includes not only the trip behind the wheel, but also other duties related to the job: preparation for departure, paperwork, loading or unloading (if this is part of the duties), waiting on the employer’s instructions, and so on.
Ukrainian regulatory requirements for drivers establish the concept of normal working hours. This is the basic “standard” norm from which shift schedules, working time records, and rest planning are derived. According to the Regulation on Working Time and Rest Time for Drivers of Wheeled Vehicles, approved by the order of the Ministry of Transport and Communications No. 340, the normal working week for a driver is limited to a specific number of hours.
For example, if a driver works a five-day schedule, then with a norm of 40 hours per week, this usually means about 8 hours of work per day. If the schedule is different (for example, shifts or duty), the accounting may be different, but the “normal” weekly limit is still defined and must not exceed the established norm.
Therefore, the correct answer is "40 hours per week," since the normal duration of a driver’s working time per week is normatively limited to 40 hours.