Did you know that important changes to the Highway Code come into force on 29^th January 2022. 

Last year the Government ran a consultation on proposed changes to the Highway Code and following that process, 8 new rules will be introduced along with 49 updates to the existing rules. 

The purpose of the changes is to give protection to the most vulnerable road users.  A hierarchy of road users will be created that ensures that those who can do the greatest harm have the greatest responsibility on the road to reduce the danger that they pose to others.  However, everyone still has a responsibility to be considerate of all road users.

This hierarchy will have pedestrians, especially vulnerable pedestrians such as the elderly and children, at the top of the pyramid as they will be classed as those who can cause the least harm.

Cyclists, horse riders, motorcyclists and cars will then follow with vans, HGV’s and buses at the bottom of the list, as they have the potential to cause most harm.

Amongst the changes, drivers will be told to give priority to pedestrians and cyclists and told to stop for people crossing the road, even if they are not at a pelican or zebra crossing. 

Cyclists will be given priority at junctions when travelling straight ahead and are being told, where appropriate, to ride in the centre lane to make themselves as clearly visible as possible on quiet roads or streets, but to move to the left to enable a faster vehicle to overtake them if they come up behind them.

As a firm, we welcome these changes.  Anything that can hopefully reduce the number of accidents, especially those involving vulnerable road users, has to be worth pursuing.

At Tinsdills we have seen the devastating impact of accidents involving vulnerable road users and, as a result of these changes, we will hopefully start to see less of them.

More information regarding the changes to the Highway Code can be found here: The Highway Code