Things About The Highway Code You Need To Know
The Highway Code is the United Kingdoms road safety manual. The Highway code was first drafted up and published in 1931 and cost one penny.
It contains 307 numbered rules and 9 annexes covering pedestrians, animals, cyclists, motorcyclists and drivers.
It also has road signs and road markings. Not all rules are road traffic laws some are just guidelines.
A brief overview of some of these rules shall follow:
Rules for pedestrians.
These include guidelines on walking on the road whilst dark, walking with children, crossing the road safely, and explanations about traffic lights.
Rules for users of wheelchairs and powered mobility scooters.
These include guidelines on the road and the pavement.
Rules about animals.
These rules are mainly about the riding of horses and also the walking of dogs.
Rules about cyclists.
This section explains a lot about what to wear while riding a bike and general usage of roads and lanes.
Rules for motorcyclists.
Mainly mentions type of clothing to wear and also weather conditions.
The road traffic act states the following:
A failure on the part of a person to observe a provision of the Highway Code shall not of itself render that person liable to criminal proceedings of any kind but any such failure may in any proceedings (whether civil or criminal, and including proceedings for an offence under the Traffic Acts, the [1981 c. 14.] Public Passenger Vehicles Act 1981 or sections 18 to 23 of the [1985 c. 67.] Transport Act 1985) be relied upon by any party to the proceedings as tending to establish or negative any liability which is in question in those proceedings.
A staggering one million copies are sold every Year and today it costs two pounds fifty. The majority of people who buy it are learner drivers but not exclusively as it also publishes new laws and advice that drivers need to know.
The 2007 edition has a section about smoking whilst driving and the dangers. Much of the advice in The Highway Code has changed and evolved over time by necessity.
The basic advice in a Highway Code of 30 years ago may not be applicable today, given increased traffic volumes; larger, faster vehicles; more complex road layouts; updated/new road signage and markings; and many other factors.
The idea of the highway code is to try and keep Britain’s roads as safe as possible and Cutting the number of deaths and injuries that occur on our roads every day is a responsibility we all share.
Kieran Cassidy has had a full UK driving license for 18 Years without ever getting any points on his license. He also co-owns http://www.drivinglessonsfinder.co.uk a driving school directory in the UK where you can purchase your copy of The Highway Code.