8.1.18. Which vehicles are allowed to proceed in this situation?
UAЯким автомобілям дозволено рух у даній ситуації?
This exam question from the Traffic Rules of Ukraine checks knowledge of the rules for passing a controlled intersection and the ability to interpret traffic controller signals. Such situations are critically important for road safety, as a mistake in interpreting gestures at intersections can lead to conflicting trajectories and accidents, even when the traffic light is not working or its function is replaced by a traffic controller.
The question belongs to the section of the Traffic Rules regarding traffic regulation, specifically to point 8.8 a). According to this point, when the controller's arms are extended to the sides (or lowered, or the right arm is bent in front of the chest), movement of all vehicles is prohibited from the chest and back sides, while from the left and right sides, non-rail vehicles are allowed to go straight or turn right. That is why, in this situation, only those cars approaching the controller from the sides and performing the permitted maneuvers (straight or right) are allowed to proceed.
Comparing the answer options comes down to a simple rule for the theoretical exam: “chest and back — wall.” Any combinations with the white or gray car are incorrect, as they are on the chest/back side of the controller, and therefore their movement is prohibited in any direction. Instead, the yellow and blue cars approach from the permitted sides, and their maneuvers comply with point 8.8 a) (non-rail vehicles may go straight or right), so this pair is the correct answer for this exam question.
Clause 8.8 a) of the Traffic Rules of Ukraine
The signals of the traffic controller have the following meanings:
a) arms extended to the sides, lowered, or the right arm bent in front of the chest: from the left and right sides — trams are allowed to go straight, non-rail vehicles are allowed to go straight and to the right; pedestrians are allowed to cross the carriageway behind the controller; from the chest and back sides — movement of all vehicles and pedestrians is prohibited.
Explanation of application: in this situation, the white and gray cars are on the chest/back side of the controller, so their movement is prohibited in any direction. The yellow and blue cars are on the left/right sides of the controller, so non-rail vehicles are allowed to go straight or to the right: the yellow — straight, the blue — to the right.
Thus, the correct answer is "Yellow and blue.", given that according to the definition of the Traffic Rules, when the controller's arms are extended to the sides/lowered or the right arm is bent in front of the chest, movement from the chest and back sides is prohibited, and from the left and right sides, non-rail vehicles are allowed to go straight or to the right.
In this situation, the order of movement is determined by the traffic controller. According to clause 8.8 a) of the Traffic Rules of Ukraine, when the controller's arms are extended to the sides (or lowered), the following rule applies to vehicles: from the chest and back sides, movement is prohibited, while from the sides, movement straight ahead or to the right is allowed.
Therefore, first we assess who is “facing” the controller with their chest or back. For the drivers of the white and gray cars, the controller is positioned either frontally or from behind, and in this gesture position, it means a complete prohibition of movement in any direction for these approaches to the intersection. Thus, they are not allowed to continue driving.
Next, we consider vehicles approaching the controller from the left and right sides. For these directions, clause 8.8 a) allows entry into the intersection only in two cases: straight ahead or turning right. The yellow car is moving straight ahead, so its maneuver is permitted. The blue car is turning right, which is also allowed with this gesture of the controller.
Therefore, the correct answer is "The yellow and blue cars," since from the sides of the controller, movement straight ahead or to the right is allowed, while from the chest and back sides, movement is prohibited.