52.40. The driver of a vehicle equipped with a tachograph must:
UAВодій транспортного засобу, який обладнано тахографом, повинен:
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This exam question concerns road safety and the monitoring of the driver's work and rest schedule during commercial transportation. The tachograph is a control device that records speed and work periods, so its proper use directly affects compliance with traffic rules, reduces driver fatigue, and helps prevent accidents. In the context of the Traffic Rules of Ukraine, this topic is related to the general duty of the driver to know and comply with regulatory requirements, as well as to ensure the serviceability and completeness of the vehicle before departure.
The theoretical exam checks the understanding of the driver's duties regarding the operation of vehicle equipment and compliance with special requirements established for tachographs. Although detailed rules for using the tachograph are not specified in a separate section of the traffic rules, they are defined by a specialized Instruction (Order No. 385), and the Traffic Rules cover this requirement through general provisions (in particular, the duty to comply with requirements and keep the vehicle in proper condition). That is why it is important to know that monitoring the tachograph's operation and the procedure for handling data carriers are part of the driver's daily responsibilities.
The analysis of the answer options comes down to the fact that the correct actions are those that ensure the proper functioning of the device and the presence of confirming records. The statement about the need for proper operation of the tachograph and managing its modes corresponds to the manufacturer's instructions and regulatory control rules. The point about timely installation, replacement, filling out, and storage of tachograph cards is also mandatory (for digital tachographs, the driver's card and/or printouts serve a similar function). In contrast, the option suggesting doing nothing in case of tachograph malfunction is incorrect: the driver must record data manually and inform responsible persons, rather than continue working without taking any action.
The practical significance of this topic for students and drivers is that during route inspections, not only the presence of a tachograph is checked, but also its proper use and the preservation of records. Understanding this exam question helps to successfully pass the theoretical test and avoid common violations: incorrect mode, missing/unfilled tachograph cards, improper data storage, or ignoring device malfunctions.
Clause 1.3
Participants in road traffic are required to know and strictly comply with the requirements of these Rules.
Clause 2.3 (subclause "a")
To ensure road safety, the driver is obliged before departure to check and ensure the technical serviceability and completeness of the vehicle, the correct placement and securing of cargo, as well as the cleanliness and proper condition of license plates.
Application in the context of the examination question
The Traffic Rules of Ukraine do not contain a separate special clause that directly establishes detailed obligations of the driver regarding the management of tachograph operating modes, installation/replacement/completion and storage of tachograph cards or the use of a driver card — these requirements are established by a special regulatory act (the Instruction approved by Order No. 385).
At the same time, knowledge of the Traffic Rules is checked in terms of the general obligation of the driver to comply with the requirements of the Rules (clause 1.3) and to ensure the technical serviceability and completeness of the vehicle before departure (clause 2.3 "a"), which also covers the proper operation of equipment installed on the vehicle.
Thus, the correct answer is "Answers 1 and 2.", given that according to the definition of the Traffic Rules, the driver is obliged to strictly comply with the requirements of the Rules and, before departure, to ensure the technical serviceability and completeness of the vehicle, while specific actions regarding the proper operation of the tachograph and work with tachograph cards/driver card arise from the mandatory requirements of the special Instruction, which is reflected in options 1 and 2.
A tachograph in a vehicle is needed to record movement parameters and, most importantly, the driver's work and rest schedule. Therefore, for the driver, it is not an “additional device” but a mandatory means of control, which must be properly maintained during daily work on the route.
According to the requirements of the Instruction approved by the order of the Ministry of Transport and Communications No. 385, the driver is obliged to ensure the correct operation of the tachograph and to operate its modes as specified by the manufacturer. In practice, this means that before departure and during work, the driver must use the tachograph correctly: select the required modes, avoid incorrect settings, and ensure that the device is functioning properly.
The second part of the duties concerns the tachograph data carriers. For an analog tachograph, these are tacho cards, which must be installed, replaced, filled out, and stored correctly and in a timely manner. For example, if a shift lasts several hours and the rules require the tacho card to be replaced, the driver has no right to “continue driving without it” or store it carelessly, as this violates the procedure for recording the work schedule.
These two duties are reflected in options 1 and 2, so the correct answer is the combined choice that includes both points. Therefore, the correct answer is “Answers 1 and 2,” since the driver must both use the tachograph and its modes correctly, and timely install/replace, fill out, and store the tacho cards.