A new survey has revealed that more than half of drivers in the UK haven’t read the Highway Code rules after they first passed their driving test. The code is a set of laws and guidelines that all drivers must adhere to when behind the wheel.
It covers all important areas of road safety, including signs and markings, speed limits, rules for overtaking, vehicle maintenance and general advice on breakdowns and what to do in an emergency.
The importance of the code is something all drivers should be aware of, and it sets out the penalties for breaking the rules.
More than 2,000 drivers were surveyed by Go Compare, and the results showed that 55% of drivers haven’t looked the Highway Code since they got their licence.
The survey also found that two in five drivers over the age of 60 haven’t kept up to date with the code – some of whom have had a licence for over four decades.
The research from Go Compare follows a recent survey from the RAC that looked into the Highway Code rules changes that came into effect two years ago. It found that 51% of drivers still feel unsure whether changes to the Highway Code – made two years ago today – have made the roads safer for pedestrians.
In fact, only 18% of drivers believe the new rules have increased pedestrian safety, while 31% think pedestrians face even greater danger at junctions since the measures were published.
And when it comes to the new hierarchy of the road, all road users are unsure on what the right course of action is supposed to be.
While update Highway Code Rule 170 states drivers should give way to pedestrians when turning in or out of junctions, only 23% of drivers say they always do.
Furthermore, 48% say they give way most of the time. Only, 19% admit they don’t stop very often while 6% never do.
Pedestrians, cyclists, and other road users also have to abide by the rules laid out in the Highway Code.
