What the overhaul of Highway Code means
The Highway Code is to be given a significant overhaul this week.
The rules of the road will soon incorporate a ‘Hierarchy of Road Users’ – a concept that places the most responsibility on those who can do the greatest harm.
The new wording explains:“The hierarchy does not remove the need for everyone to behave responsibly. The road users most likely to be injured in the event of a collision are pedestrians, cyclists, horse riders and motorcyclists, with children, older adults and disabled people being more at risk.”
New rules clarify the concept and state that it is“important that all road users are aware of The Highway Code, are considerate to other road users and understand their responsibility for the safety of others.”
It continues:“Everyone suffers when road collisions occur, whether they are physically injured or not. But those in charge of vehicles that can cause the greatest harm in the event of a collision bear the greatest responsibility to take care and reduce the danger they pose to others.
“This principle applies most strongly to drivers of large goods and passenger vehicles, vans/minibuses, cars/taxis and motorcycles.
“Cyclists, horse riders and drivers of horse-drawn vehicles likewise have a responsibility to reduce danger to pedestrians.
“None of this detracts from the responsibility of all road users, including pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders, to have regard for their own and other road users’safety.
“Always remember that the people you encounter may have impaired sight, hearing or mobility and that this may not be obvious.”
The rules, which are enforced by law, include cars, motorcyclists, horse drawn vehicles, horse riders and cyclists having to give way to pedestrians crossing or waiting to cross a road into which or from which the vehicle etc is turning.
Horse riders should give way to pedestrians on a zebra crossing, and to pedestrians and cyclists on a parallel crossing.
However, cyclists should give way to pedestrians on shared use cycle tracks and to horse riders on bridleways.
Only pedestrians may use the pavement. Pedestrians include wheelchair and mobility scooter users.
Pedestrians may use any part of the road and use cycle tracks as well as the pavement, unless there are signs prohibiting pedestrians.
Drivers should not cut across cyclists, horse riders or horse drawn vehicles going ahead when they are turning into or out of a junction or changing direction or lane, just as they would not turn across the path of another motor vehicle.
Cyclists should not pass pedestrians, horse riders or horse drawn vehicles closely or at high speed, particularly from behind and should not pass a horse on their left.
And cars and larger vehicles should give motorcyclists, cyclists, horse riders and horse drawn vehicles at least as much room as they would when overtaking a car . They should pass horse riders and horse-drawn vehicles at speeds under 10mph and allow at least two metres of space.
They should also wait behind the motorcyclist, cyclist, horse rider, horse drawn vehicle or pedestrian and not overtake if it is unsafe or not possible to meet these clearances.