The Highway Code: UK Road Safety

• The Highway Code applies to England, Scotland, and Wales and serves as essential reading for all.
• It aims to promote road safety and support a healthy, sustainable and efficient transport system.

Legal Requirements

• Disobeying rules marked "MUST/MUST NOT" is a criminal offense.
• Consequences include fines, penalty points, driving disqualification, or imprisonment in serious cases.
• Other rules, using "should/should not" or "do/do not," can be used in court to establish liability under the Traffic Acts.
• Adhering to the Code can significantly reduce road casualties, a shared responsibility.
• Further guidance can be found in 'The Official DVSA Guide to Driving' and 'The Official DVSA Guide to Riding'.

Self-Driving Vehicles

• Defined as automated vehicles listed by the Secretary of State for Transport under the Automated and Electric Vehicles Act 2018.
• These vehicles can safely drive themselves when the self-driving function is correctly on and the driver follows instructions.
• Drivers do not need to monitor the vehicle while in self-driving mode.
• Differ from vehicles with assisted driving features as assisted driving features require the driver to be responsible for driving at all times.
• The ability to drive itself might be limited by road type, time, weather, location, or speed.
• While in self-driving mode, drivers are not responsible for how the vehicle is driving.
• Drivers can turn their attention from the road and view content on the vehicle's infotainment system.
• Drivers MUST still follow all relevant laws
• Drivers MUST be able to take control, and do it when prompted, and remain in the driving seat and awake.
• Once control is taken back, the driver is responsible for all aspects of driving.

Hierarchy of Road Users

• Prioritizes the safety of those most at risk in a collision: pedestrians, cyclists, horse riders, and motorcyclists.
• Children, older adults, and disabled people are considered more at risk.
• The hierarchy does not negate the need for responsible behavior from all road users.
• Those in charge of vehicles that can cause the greatest harm bear the greatest responsibility.
• This applies to drivers of large goods vehicles, passenger vehicles, vans/minibuses, cars/taxis and motorcyclists.
• Cyclists, horse riders, and drivers of horse-drawn vehicles also have a responsibility to reduce danger to pedestrians.
• All road users, including pedestrians, cyclists, and horse riders, must consider their own and other road users' safety.
• Road users need to consider others may have impaired sight, hearing or mobility and that this may not be obvious.
• At junctions, drivers should give way to pedestrians crossing or waiting to cross.
• Drivers MUST give way to pedestrians on zebra crossings and to pedestrians and cyclists on parallel crossings.
• Priority is given to pedestrians on zebra crossings, parallel crossings, and at light-controlled crossings with a green signal.
• Horse riders should also give way to pedestrians on a zebra crossing, and to pedestrians and cyclists on a parallel crossing.
• Cyclists should give way to pedestrians on shared use cycle tracks and to horse riders on bridleways.
• Drivers should not cut across cyclists, horse riders, or horse-drawn vehicles when turning into or out of a junction, changing direction, or changing lanes.
• At junctions, stop and wait for a safe gap in the flow of cyclists.

The Highway Code applies to England, Scotland, and Wales, offering vital guidance for road users. It highlights legal requirements and safe practices, emphasizing that disobeying 'MUST/MUST NOT' rules is a criminal offense. Following the Code reduces road casualties.