51.39. Are passengers allowed to be in the cargo bed of a lorry being towed during towing?
UAЧи мають право перебувати пасажири в кузові вантажного автомобіля, що буксирує, під час буксирування?
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This exam question from the Traffic Rules of Ukraine concerns safety during towing and the rules for transporting passengers. When one vehicle tows another, movement becomes less predictable: jerks, sudden braking, or changes in trajectory are possible. That is why the traffic rules set additional restrictions to minimize the risk of injury to people.
The question tests knowledge of the section of the Traffic Rules regarding towing, specifically the requirements of clause 23.9, as well as understanding of the term "towing" from clause 1.10. In the context of the theoretical exam, it is important to remember: during towing with a rigid or flexible coupling, it is prohibited to transport passengers in the cargo bed of the truck performing the towing. Therefore, the statement about the permissibility of passengers being in the cargo bed is incorrect regardless of the type of coupling used.
The analysis of the answer options comes down to a simple rule: the option "are allowed" contradicts the direct prohibition in the Traffic Rules; options with conditions such as "only with rigid or flexible coupling" and "only with rigid coupling" are also incorrect, because clause 23.9, on the contrary, prohibits transporting passengers in the cargo bed precisely during such towing. In practice, this means that even a short trip "on a tow rope" does not give the right to transport people in the cargo bed of a truck, and this nuance often appears in the theoretical exam tickets.
Clause 23.9
During towing with a rigid or flexible coupling, it is prohibited to transport passengers in the towed vehicle (except for a passenger car) and in the cargo bed of the towing truck, and in the case of towing by partial loading of this vehicle onto a platform or special supporting device — in all vehicles (except for the cab of the towing vehicle).
Brief application: since the question directly concerns the presence of passengers in the cargo bed of the towing truck, this clause establishes a direct prohibition on such transportation during towing.
Clause 1.10 (term "Towing")
Towing — the movement of one vehicle by another vehicle, which does not refer to the operation of road trains (vehicle combinations), using a rigid or flexible coupling or by partial loading onto a platform or special supporting device.
Brief application: the definition of the term is necessary to clearly understand that the prohibition stated in clause 23.9 applies precisely during "towing" as defined by the Traffic Rules.
Therefore, the correct answer is "They do not have the right," given that according to the definition in the Traffic Rules, it is prohibited to transport passengers in the cargo bed of the towing truck during towing (clause 23.9).
Towing in the Traffic Rules is understood as the movement of one vehicle by another using a coupling (rigid or flexible) or by partial loading. In such a situation, the driving mode is non-standard: jerks, changes in trajectory, and braking with increased risk are possible, so the safety requirements for passengers become stricter.
Clause 23.9 of the Traffic Rules directly establishes a prohibition on transporting passengers in the cargo bed of a truck that is towing if the towing is carried out using a rigid or flexible coupling. That is, even if passengers are sitting "carefully" in the cargo bed and at low speed, the very fact of towing makes such transportation unacceptable.
For example, if a truck is towing another vehicle with a rope, no person may ride in the cargo bed of the truck: during the tightening or slackening of the rope, sudden jerks are possible, due to which a passenger in the cargo bed can easily lose balance and may be injured.
Therefore, the correct answer is "They do not have the right," since during towing the Traffic Rules prohibit the presence of passengers in the cargo bed of the towing truck.