5.13. In which case is it permitted for passengers to board (alight) from the shoulder or sidewalks?
UAВ якому випадку пасажирам дозволено здійснювати посадку (висадку) з узбіч або тротуарів?
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This exam question from the Traffic Rules of Ukraine concerns passenger safety during boarding and alighting, when a person effectively becomes a pedestrian and finds themselves near moving traffic. The traffic rules set clear requirements to minimize the risk of being hit and to avoid creating obstacles for other road users, since the most dangerous situation arises when a passenger steps onto the roadway from the side of an adjacent lane where vehicles are moving.
The theoretical exam usually includes a check of knowledge of the section on the duties and safety of road users, in particular the provisions of paragraph 5.1 of the Traffic Rules regarding the procedure for boarding (alighting). The logic of the rule is as follows: the boarding platform, as a specially equipped place, has priority, and if it is absent, the use of the sidewalk or roadside is allowed after the vehicle has come to a complete stop. That is, the sidewalk or roadside is considered a permitted alternative only when there is no boarding platform, and only under the condition of safety and absence of obstacles.
Analyzing the answer options helps to avoid typical mistakes in the exam. The wording "at the driver's discretion" contradicts the Traffic Rules, because the procedure for boarding/alighting is determined by the rules, not by personal decision, and cannot ignore the prohibition of exiting from the side of the adjacent roadway. The restriction "only during daylight hours" is also incorrect: the time of day does not change the duties of road users, only the requirements for caution and visibility change. In practice, this knowledge is needed every day: for example, on country roads or near stops without a platform, passengers should exit onto the sidewalk or roadside, without stepping into the traffic lane and without creating dangerous situations.
Clause 5.1
Boarding (alighting) of passengers is allowed only after the vehicle has stopped and only from a boarding platform, and in the absence of such a platform — from the sidewalk or shoulder, and if this is not possible — from the outermost lane of the carriageway (not from the side of the adjacent traffic lane) provided that it is safe and does not create obstacles for other road users.
Clause 1.10 (term "Boarding platform")
Boarding platform — a specially equipped area near the carriageway (or on it), intended for boarding (alighting) passengers of route vehicles and/or other vehicles.
Clause 1.10 (term "Sidewalk")
Sidewalk — an element of the road intended for pedestrian movement, which adjoins the carriageway or is separated from it by a lawn.
Clause 1.10 (term "Shoulder")
Shoulder — an element of a road, structurally separated or marked by a solid road marking line, that adjoins the outer edge of the carriageway, is at the same level as the carriageway, and is not intended for vehicle movement except as provided by these Rules.
Clause 1.10 (term "Passenger")
Passenger — a person who uses a vehicle and is in it, but is not involved in driving it.
That is, the correct answer is "In the absence of a boarding platform.", given that according to the definition in the Traffic Rules, boarding/alighting is performed only from a boarding platform, and if it is absent — it is allowed from the sidewalk or shoulder (provided it is safe and does not create obstacles).
During boarding or alighting, a passenger becomes a pedestrian and finds themselves next to the flow of traffic. That is why the Traffic Rules require this to be done in such a way that there is no danger of being hit and no obstacles are created for other road users. The general principle is simple: a passenger should not step onto the roadway from the side where vehicles are moving in the adjacent lane.
Clause 5.1 of the Traffic Rules establishes the priority of places for boarding and alighting. First and foremost, this should be done after the vehicle has come to a complete stop at a boarding platform. This is the safest option because it separates passengers from traffic.
If there is no boarding platform, the rules allow boarding or alighting from the sidewalk or shoulder. For example, on a country road, there is often no equipped stop platform, and in this case, the passenger must step onto the shoulder without entering the traffic lane. It is important that such actions are safe and do not interfere with others.
Only when it is not possible to use either a boarding platform, sidewalk, or shoulder is boarding (alighting) from the outermost lane of the roadway where the vehicle is stopped permitted, but not from the side of the adjacent traffic lane. In other words, exiting "towards the flow" from the side of the neighboring lane is prohibited, as this creates the greatest risk of an accident.
Thus, the correct answer is "In the absence of a boarding platform," since the Traffic Rules allow the use of the sidewalk or shoulder for boarding/alighting precisely when there is no specially equipped place (boarding platform), and this can be done safely and without hindering traffic.