New Highway Code rules as survey finds most drivers do not know latest updates

dailyrecord.co.uk:

The majority of motorists are not aware of recent Highway Code rule changes, a new survey has found. A poll carried out by AA found that 61 percent of 13,300 motorists were not aware of recent Highway Code rule updates made in January 2022.

The Highway Code contains advice and rules for people on Britain’s roads. Nine sections were updated this year with 50 rules added or amended, aimed at providing more protection for vulnerable road users.

More than half (52 percent) of those questioned by the AA had heard about the new rules but not studied them. One in 10 (10 percent) drivers aged 18-54 were completely unaware of the updates, compared with 5 percent of those aged 55 and above.When asked to identify five correct statements included in the updated Highway Code from a list of 10, the majority of respondents did so correctly.Tim Rankin, managing director of AA Accident Assist, said: “For many the updated Highway Code formalises safe and sensible roadcraft, however we are concerned that so many still haven’t read the rules.“While we are pleased that many of the changes can be successfully recalled, we’d like more drivers to know the rules outright so they can keep themselves and others safe.“It is in everyone’s interest to take every measure that helps avoid collisions and remove confusion from the road, so we urge those that still haven’t read the updated Code to do so as soon as possible.”A communications drive was launched by the Department for Transport’s road safety offshoot Think!

in mid-February.Hierarchy of road usersA hierarchy of road users was also introduced, meaning someone driving has more responsibility to watch out for people cycling, walking or riding a horse, and cyclists have more responsibility to