33 New Updates To The Highway Code With 2 New Rules To Be Introduced

The Highway Code is to be updated to make roads even more safe, with thanks to the input of 1000s of drivers, transport organisations and motoring groups.

Highways England has drawn up an updated guide for The Highway Code alongside the DVSA (Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency) to aid road users to better understand how high-speed roads and motorways operate.

Over 3,200 people and organisations offered a response to a consultation for the guidance, with each of their comments directly resulting in it being amended and further improved.

The amendments are believed to become an integral part of The Highway Code later on this year.

The update is to include:

• clear advice on where you can stop in emergencies
• why you shouldn’t drive in a closed lane marked with a Red X
• congestion management with the use of variable speed limits
• amended guidance on crucial factors that lead to safety-related incidents, which include driving whilst tired, vehicles that are unroadworthy, towing safely, dangers of tailgating and driving through roadworks.

Highways England’s Head of Road Safety, Jeremy Phillips, said: “The new updates to The Highway Code will help all those who drive on our busiest roads.

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“Special thanks to all those road users who gave their input to us, which have allowed us to produce much clearer guidance on best practice when using our motorways and major A-roads which intend to make all journeys even safer.

“The brand new updated edition of The Highway Code will give every driver on our roads more confidence in that they have the skills and knowledge to get safely to their destinations.”

Amongst the new updates to The Highway Code is much clearer advice with how and where you can stop in an emergency, this includes the importance of not driving down a lane that is closed and displaying the Red X sign and, for the very first time, new emergency area signage. It includes the new “Go left” slogan used throughout Highways England’s latest £5m advertising campaign to ensure people know exactly what to do should they breakdown.

There is a new guidance section on the correct use of variable speed limits which are intended to manage congestion and further information on the use of safety cameras to ensure drivers comply with speed limits and of course lanes closed with a Red X, which include the hard shoulder.

33 existing rules will be amended in total along with 2 new rules to be introduced. There will very likely also be several amendments made to the new information within The Highway Code and its various annexes.

Highways England has given the amendments to The Highway Code as part of its ongoing commitment to supply much clearer information for all road users to further enhance safety across all major routes in England.