5.5. Are passengers allowed to open the doors of a vehicle from the side of the sidewalk, boarding platform, edge of the carriageway, or roadside?
UAЧи дозволено пасажирам відкривати двері транспортного засобу з боку тротуару, посадкового майданчика, краю проїзної частини чи узбіччя?
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This exam question from the Traffic Rules of Ukraine concerns safety during passenger boarding and disembarking, and the typical risks of “dooring,” when open doors create an obstacle for cars, motorcycles, or cyclists. In practice, premature opening of doors or exiting from the wrong side often leads to accidents and injuries, which is why the traffic rules pay special attention to this issue in the theoretical exam.
The question tests the section of the Traffic Rules regarding the duties of passengers, specifically the requirement of clause 5.3(b): a passenger does not have the right to open the door until they are sure that the vehicle has stopped in a safe place for exiting—by the sidewalk, boarding platform, edge of the carriageway, or on the roadside. The meaning of this rule is that even a brief stop in traffic (for example, before a traffic light or crosswalk) does not mean that disembarking is safe, and the vehicle may start moving again at any moment.
The analysis of the answer options in this ticket is straightforward: the statement about “only with the driver’s permission” is not a key condition in the Traffic Rules, because the rule specifically requires checking the fact of stopping in the correct place, not verbal permission. The option about prohibiting opening the door from the left side is too categorical: in the Traffic Rules of Ukraine, the prohibition is formulated differently; what matters is not the “left/right” side as such, but the safe positioning of the vehicle by the sidewalk, boarding platform, edge of the carriageway, or roadside, so that the passenger does not end up in an active traffic lane. That is why the correct approach is where the passenger’s permitted actions are linked to being sure of a proper and complete stop in a safe zone.
Clause 5.3 b) (passenger duties)
Passengers are prohibited from: … b) opening the doors of the vehicle without making sure that it has stopped near the sidewalk, boarding platform, edge of the carriageway, or on the shoulder.
Clause 1.10 (term "Passenger")
Passenger — a person who uses a vehicle and is inside it, but is not involved in driving it.
Clause 1.10 (term "Sidewalk")
Sidewalk — an element of the road intended for pedestrian traffic, which adjoins the carriageway or is separated from it by a lawn.
Clause 1.10 (term "Shoulder")
Shoulder — an element of a road, structurally designated or marked with a solid line of road marking, that directly adjoins the outer edge of the carriageway, is at the same level with it, and is not intended for vehicle traffic except in cases provided by these Rules. The shoulder may be used for stopping and parking vehicles, movement of pedestrians, mopeds, bicycles (in the absence of sidewalks, pedestrian or bicycle paths, or if it is impossible to move along them), and horse-drawn carts (sledges).
Clause 1.10 (term "Carriageway")
Carriageway — an element of the road intended for the movement of non-rail vehicles. A road may have several carriageways, the boundaries of which are dividing strips.
Thus, the correct answer is "Allowed, provided that the passenger has made sure that the vehicle has stopped near the sidewalk, boarding platform, edge of the carriageway, or on the shoulder," given that according to the definition in the Traffic Rules, passengers are directly prohibited from opening the doors without first making sure of such a stop (clause 5.3 b)).
The passenger has the right to enter and exit the vehicle through the doors, but this must be done in a way that does not create danger either for themselves or for other road users. The safest way to do this is from the side of the sidewalk, boarding platform, edge of the carriageway, or the shoulder—that is, from the side where there is no active traffic flow next to the doors.
The Traffic Rules of Ukraine, in clause 5.3 (b), set a clear requirement for passengers: the doors must not be opened until the passenger is sure that the vehicle (or other means of transport) has stopped precisely near the sidewalk, boarding platform, edge of the carriageway, or on the shoulder. The logic of this rule is simple: if you open the door prematurely or in the wrong place, the door may be hit by another vehicle, and the passenger may step directly into a dangerous traffic zone.
Imagine a typical situation: the driver slows down in front of a traffic light or a pedestrian crossing. This is not yet a place for disembarking, and the vehicle may start moving again at any moment. If a passenger opens the door in such a situation, they create a risk for themselves and for cars or cyclists moving nearby. Another example: the stop is made on the right near the sidewalk or shoulder. Only when the vehicle has come to a complete stop and is standing by this safe edge may the passenger open the door on the appropriate side and exit without ending up on the carriageway.
Therefore, the correct answer is: "Allowed, after making sure that the vehicle has stopped near the sidewalk, boarding platform, edge of the carriageway, or on the shoulder," since the Traffic Rules (clause 5.3 b) allow doors to be opened only after verifying that the vehicle has come to a complete stop in a safe place for boarding or disembarking.