Some major changes to the Highway Code in the United Kingdom are in force since January 29th. The new rules are aimed at improving road safety for vulnerable road users – pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders.
According to law firm Irwin Mitchell, many of the rules in the code are legal requirements, and if you disobey these rules you are committing a criminal offence.
“You may be fined, given penalty points on your licence or be disqualified from driving, [...] in the most serious cases you may be sent to prison," although failure to comply with the other rules of the code will not, in itself, cause a person to be prosecuted.
"The Highway Code may be used in evidence in any court proceedings under the Traffic Acts to establish liability. This includes rules which use advisory wording.”
The changes to The Highway Code are extensive.
Previously, the Highway Code had guided for all road users to be considerate towards each other, applying this principle to pedestrians and drivers equally. The new hierarchy of road users places those who can do the greatest harm with the greatest responsibility to reduce danger to others, to protect the most vulnerables on the road.
The too many deaths and life-changing injuries as a result of vehicles turning across the paths of cyclists at junctions inspired a further change. “Drivers may fail to check for the presence of cyclists before committing to their manoeuvre, even when cyclists have been alongside them when doing so.” The new Rule H3 is designed to protect cyclists from this happening.
The 8 changes to the UK Highway Code are available in full on the Gov.UK website.
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