In light of lack of awareness of imminent changes to the Highway Code, we’ll be publishing helpful resources as soon as the changes are confirmed. Make sure you’re following us on LinkedIn, and keep an eye on IAMCommercial.co.uk/free-resources to have the best chance of using these materials as they arrive.
Sweeping changes to the Highway Code will come into force at the end of this month but, with an alarming portion of the British public totally unaware of the impending changes, some are claiming that transport ministers are “missing in action”.
Among the new changes to the code is the ‘Hierarchy of Road Users’ – establishing that road users who pose the greatest risk to others will have a higher level of responsibility. In the Hierarchy, HGV drivers will have the highest level of responsibility to look out for other road users, with lighter vehicles bearing less responsibility, and with the most vulnerable road users such as horse riders, cyclists and pedestrians enjoying greater consideration from drivers of the vehicles that pose the greatest threat to their safety.
According to an AA poll of 13,000 of its members, at least two in three drivers were unaware of the changes before Christmas.
Duncan Dollimore, Cycling UK’s head of campaigns, said the changes were welcome, but that they “will be of limited benefit if the public aren’t aware of them”.
Many of the new rules are legal requirements, and drivers failing to follow them will be committing criminal offences.
Other changes will be advisory measures – not strict legal requirements, but if a driver ends up in court, ignoring advisory points in the new code will be relevant and unfavourable.
These include advice that drivers:
• Should give way to pedestrians crossing or waiting to cross a road into which or from which their vehicle is turning.
• Should not cut across cyclists or horse riders going ahead when turning into or out of a junction or changing direction or lane, to prevent “left hook” collisions.
• Should open car doors using the “Dutch reach” method, with the hand on the opposite side to the door they are opening. This makes drivers turn their heads to look over their shoulders and reduces the likelihood of “dooring” a passing cyclist.
• Should leave at least 1.5 metres when overtaking cyclists at speeds of up to 30mph, and give them more space when overtaking at higher speeds.
The code also advises cyclists to give way to pedestrians on shared-use cycle tracks and to horse riders on bridleways, and to “slow down when necessary and let them know you are there, for example by ringing your bell (it is recommended that a bell is fitted to your bike) or by calling out politely.”
Dollimore said: “Many people won’t have read the Highway Code for years, so it’s essential that the key changes are clearly explained, with simple, accurate and memorable messages.
“These changes have legal implications. Just as we saw with the introduction of other road safety measures like mandatory seatbelts and stricter drink-driving laws, the public needs to be accurately informed about the new rules. The hierarchy of responsibility and changes to junction priority need to be explained and communicated properly, regardless of whether or not everyone agrees with them.”
Louise Haigh, the shadow transport secretary, said: “With cyclists feeling increasingly unsafe, these are welcome changes, but they will be totally meaningless if the public don’t know anything about them. A comprehensive national safety campaign is needed to keep cyclists safe on our roads, but ministers are missing in action.”
Cycling UK called on the Government to implement “a long-term and well-funded communications campaign” to raise awareness of the new code.
A spokesperson for the Department for Transport said: “The proposed upcoming changes to the Highway Code will improve safety for cyclists, pedestrians and horse riders and were announced to national press.
“The department has established a working group of key organisations to ensure that messages about the changes are as widespread as possible, and our well-established Think! campaign will continue to ensure all road users are aware both when these changes come into effect and beyond.”
The changes to the Highway Code are expected to be approved by Parliament and come into force on 29 January 2022.
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