52.63. What should be the duration of the daily (inter-shift) rest period for a driver during any 24-hour period, counting from the beginning of the working day (shift)?
UAЯка повинна бути тривалість щоденного (міжзмінного) відпочинку водія протягом будь-якого 24-годинного періоду, рахуючи від початку робочого дня (зміни)?
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This exam question from the Traffic Rules of Ukraine concerns road safety by preventing driving in a state of fatigue. The work and rest schedule directly affects the driver's attention and reaction speed, so when preparing for the theoretical exam, it is important to understand the minimum requirements for between-shift recovery, which help avoid dangerous situations on the road.
The question tests knowledge of Section 2 of the Traffic Rules, specifically clause 2.9 regarding the prohibition of driving a vehicle while fatigued. At the same time, the specific duration of daily (between-shift) rest is determined not by the traffic rules themselves, but by a specialized regulatory act: according to clause 5.1 of the Regulation on Working Time and Rest Time for Drivers (Order of the Ministry of Transport and Communications No. 340), within any 24-hour period from the start of the shift, the driver must have an uninterrupted rest period of the established minimum duration.
The analysis of the answer options comes down to understanding the word consecutive and the reference to the 24-hour period from the start of the shift. The option with 8 hours is insufficient, as it does not reach the minimum established by special regulations to prevent overfatigue. The option with 12 hours is not a minimum requirement: it is possible in practice, but does not correspond to the wording about the minimum mandatory duration. The key requirement is an uninterrupted rest period within 24 hours from the start of the working day, not a "collection" of hours in fragments.
Clause 2.9 (Section 2 "Duties and rights of drivers of motor vehicles", prohibitions for the driver)
The driver is prohibited from: operating a vehicle in a state of illness or fatigue that reduces attention and reaction speed.
This clause of the Traffic Rules establishes the requirement not to drive while fatigued; the examination question essentially specifies the minimum between-shift rest period set by special regulations to prevent such a condition (however, the specific duration in hours is not defined in the Traffic Rules).
Therefore, the correct answer is "At least 10 consecutive hours," given that the Traffic Rules prohibit driving in a fatigued state, and the minimum duration of daily (between-shift) rest for drivers to prevent fatigue is established by a specialized regulatory act (clause 5.1 of the Regulation approved by Order of the Ministry of Transport and Communications No. 340).
When preparing for the exam, it is important to understand that questions about the driver's work and rest schedule are not counted “until the end of the day,” but within any 24-hour period from the moment the driver starts their work shift. That is, the countdown begins at the start of the shift, and then it is assessed whether the driver had sufficient time for recovery within the next 24 hours.
The regulatory logic here is simple: driving a vehicle requires constant attention, so the legislator sets a minimum uninterrupted period of daily rest. It is the continuity that is key, because short breaks during the day do not replace full sleep and recovery.
According to the requirements of the Regulation on the working hours and rest time of drivers of wheeled vehicles (paragraph 5.1), within each 24-hour period from the start of the shift, the driver must receive daily (between-shift) rest of the established minimum duration, and this rest must be consecutive, that is, not “split” into parts.
For example, if a driver starts a shift at 08:00, then by 08:00 the next day, in this 24-hour period, at least 10 consecutive hours must be allocated for between-shift rest. If the driver, for instance, rested 6 hours at night and another 4 hours during the day, this would not meet the requirement, because the rest must be continuous.
Therefore, the correct answer is “At least 10 consecutive hours,” since in any 24-hour period from the start of the shift, the driver is guaranteed a minimum uninterrupted between-shift rest of at least 10 hours.