The Highway Code

The Highway Code is a set of information, advice, guides and mandatory rules for all road users in the United Kingdom. Its objective is to promote road safety. The Highway Code applies to all road users including pedestrians, horse riders and cyclists, as well as motorcyclists and drivers. It gives information on road signs, road markings, vehicle markings, and road safety. The Highway Code is published by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA).

History

The Highway Code was first published in 1931 and has been updated regularly to reflect changes in technology and understanding of road safety. The current version of The Highway Code is the 2015 edition.

Content

The Highway Code covers a wide range of topics, including:

• Road signs: The Highway Code contains a comprehensive guide to all the road signs in the UK, including their meanings and when they should be used.

• Road markings: The Code explains the different types of road markings and what they indicate.

• Vehicle markings: The Code also covers vehicle markings, such as those used on emergency vehicles.

• Road safety: The Highway Code provides advice on how to stay safe on the roads, including tips for pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists and drivers.

• Rules for pedestrians: The Code includes a section specifically for pedestrians, covering topics such as how to cross the road safely and the use of pedestrian crossings.

• Rules for cyclists: The Code also has a section for cyclists, with advice on how to ride safely and responsibly.

• Rules for motorcyclists: The Code includes a section for motorcyclists, covering topics such as helmet laws and safe riding practices.

• Rules for drivers: The Code contains a comprehensive set of rules for drivers, including advice on speed limits, drink-driving laws, and how to deal with breakdowns and accidents.

Legal status

While failure to comply with the other rules of The Highway 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 (see The road user and the law) to establish liability. This includes rules which use advisory wording.

See also

• Driving in the United Kingdom
• Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency
• Road signs in the United Kingdom
• Road safety in the United Kingdom