51.42. By how much must a load extend beyond the rear overall dimension of a vehicle for its transportation to be carried out according to special rules?
UAНаскільки повинен виступати вантаж за задній габарит транспортного засобу, щоб його перевезення здійснювалося за спеціальними правилами?
Question without image
This exam question from the Traffic Rules of Ukraine concerns safety during cargo transportation and the control of vehicle dimensions. Excessive rear overhang of cargo reduces visibility, increases the risk of collision for other road users, and complicates maneuvering, which is why the traffic rules set a limit after which transportation is subject to special regulations.
The question tests knowledge of the section of the Traffic Rules regarding cargo transportation, specifically the requirements of point 22.5, which lists cases when movement is governed by special rules. It is there that the criterion for rear overhang is directly stated: special rules apply when the cargo extends beyond the rear dimension of the vehicle by more than the established value, that is, when exceeding the threshold of 2 meters. This is an important norm for the theoretical exam, as it relates to the basic dimensional restrictions and the conditions under which additional movement requirements may be necessary.
If we compare the options, the value “over 1 m” is insufficient, as it does not meet the threshold from point 22.5, and therefore does not place the transportation under special rules. The option “over 2 m” matches the wording of the Traffic Rules of Ukraine, and it is from this point that transportation falls under special requirements. On the other hand, “over 3 m” and “over 4 m” raise the limit too high: such overhangs would also mean a violation of dimensional criteria, but the correct control value in this exam question is specifically exceeding 2 meters, not larger numbers.
Clause 22.5
The road transportation of dangerous goods, the movement of vehicles and their combinations is carried out according to special rules if at least one of their dimensions exceeds 2.6 m in width (for agricultural machinery moving outside populated areas, on roads of villages, settlements, towns of district significance — 3.75 m), 4 m in height from the road surface (for container carriers on routes established by Ukravtodor and the National Police — 4.35 m), 22 m in length (for route vehicles — 25 m), actual mass — over 40 t (for container carriers — over 44 t, on routes established by Ukravtodor and the National Police for them — up to 46 t), axle load on a single axle — 11 t (for buses, trolleybuses — 11.5 t), double axles — 16 t, triple axles — 22 t (for container carriers, axle load on a single axle — 11 t, double axles — 18 t, triple axles — 24 t) or if the load protrudes more than 2 m beyond the rear dimension of the vehicle. Axles should be considered double or triple if the distance between them (adjacent) does not exceed 2.5 m. The movement of vehicles and their combinations with a load on a single axle over 11 t, double axles — over 16 t, triple axles — over 22 t or an actual mass over 40 t (for container carriers, axle load on a single axle — over 11 t, double axles — over 18 t, triple axles — over 24 t or actual mass over 44 t, and on routes established by Ukravtodor and the National Police for them — over 46 t) in the case of divisible cargo transportation on public roads is prohibited. The movement of vehicles with an axle load over 7 t or actual mass over 24 t on local public roads is prohibited.
This clause directly establishes the threshold from which transportation is considered to be carried out according to special rules: when the load protrudes more than 2 m beyond the rear dimension of the vehicle.
That is, the correct answer is "More than 2 m.", given that according to the definition in the Traffic Rules, transportation (movement) is carried out according to special rules if the load protrudes more than 2 m beyond the rear dimension of the vehicle.
When transporting cargo, it is important to assess whether it poses an increased danger to other road users due to its size. One of the key criteria in the Traffic Rules of Ukraine is how far the cargo extends beyond the rear dimension of the vehicle.
Clause 22.5 of the Traffic Rules defines cases when movement or transportation must be carried out according to special rules. Among these cases, it directly mentions situations when the cargo extends beyond the rear boundary of the vehicle by more than the established limit. This means that regular transportation transitions to a mode that requires additional requirements and approvals, as the risk to road safety increases.
To understand this in practice, imagine a passenger trailer or a truck carrying long materials (for example, pipes or boards). If the cargo only slightly protrudes from the rear, it can still be transported in the usual manner. But when the extension becomes too significant, this is already considered transportation exceeding the dimensional parameters, and the Traffic Rules classify it as a case regulated by special rules.
The critical limit established by clause 22.5 is a cargo extension beyond the rear dimension of more than 2 meters. It is only after exceeding this limit that special transportation rules apply.
Therefore, the correct answer is "More than 2 m.", because according to clause 22.5 of the Traffic Rules, transportation under special rules is required when the cargo extends beyond the rear dimension of the vehicle by more than 2 meters.