52.10. Is the driver of a bus operating on a designated route allowed to turn right in the situation shown?
UAЧи дозволено поворот праворуч водієві автобуса, що рухається за встановленим маршрутом, у зображеній ситуації?
This exam question from the Traffic Rules of Ukraine concerns intersection safety and the correct interpretation of mandatory road signs. In real-life situations, attentiveness to signs and knowledge of exceptions for certain categories of vehicles help avoid conflicts, especially when both regular cars and public transport use the same lane.
The question tests Section 33 "Road Signs," specifically clause 33.4.5 regarding sign 4.5 "Movement straight or left," as well as understanding the term from clause 1.10 about route vehicles. As a general rule, sign 4.5 allows movement only straight or left (and U-turn), so for most drivers, turning right at such an intersection would be a violation. However, the Traffic Rules explicitly state that this sign does not apply to vehicles operating on established routes, i.e., route buses.
Therefore, the option "allowed" is correct: the driver of a route bus may make a right turn according to the route without violating traffic rules. The option "prohibited" would be correct for non-route vehicles, but in this exam task, the key point is the exception to the rule, which is often tested in the theoretical exam.
Clause 1.10 (term “Route vehicles (public transport vehicles)”)
“Route vehicles (public transport vehicles) — buses, minibuses, trolleybuses, trams, and taxis that operate on established routes and have designated places on the road for passenger boarding (alighting).”
Clause 33.4.5 — 33 “Road signs”, 4 “Mandatory signs”, sign 4.5 “Movement straight ahead or to the left”
“Sign 4.5 ‘Movement straight ahead or to the left’ allows movement only straight ahead or to the left. The sign also allows U-turns for vehicles. The sign does not apply to vehicles operating on established routes. The sign applies to the intersection of carriageways before which it is installed.”
Thus, the correct answer is “Allowed,” given that according to the definition in the Traffic Rules, a bus is a route vehicle, and the effect of sign 4.5 does not apply to such vehicles, so turning right in this situation is permitted.
In this situation, a mandatory sign 4.5 "Straight or left turn only" is installed before the intersection. According to the general rule, such a sign obliges drivers to choose only one of the permitted directions, so for ordinary vehicles, turning right would be prohibited.
However, the bus shown is a route vehicle, meaning it carries passengers along an established route and has designated stops for boarding and alighting. For such vehicles, the Traffic Rules provide an exception regarding the effect of certain mandatory signs.
According to Section 33, clause 4.5 of the Traffic Rules of Ukraine, the effect of sign 4.5 does not apply to vehicles operating on established routes. This means that the driver of the route bus at this intersection is not required to follow the "only straight or left" instruction and may proceed in the direction specified by the route, including turning right.
Therefore, the correct answer is "Allowed," since sign 4.5 does not apply to route vehicles, and the bus driver may turn right according to the route.