Highway Code

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Front cover of the 2007 revision of the Highway Code
Front cover of the 2007 revision of the Highway Code

The Highway Code is the official road safety manual for Great Britain.[1] In Northern Ireland the Highway Code for Northern Ireland applies.[2] It contains 307 numbered rules and 9 annexes covering pedestrians, animals, cyclists, motorcyclists and drivers. As well as the rules and annexes, there is information on road signs, road markings and vehicle markings. The annexes contain information on vehicle maintenance, licence requirements, documentation, penalties and vehicle security.

Certain rules in the Highway Code represent various road traffic laws and must be obeyed. Others are not compulsory, but advisable. The Road Traffic Act 1988 says:

A failure on the part of a person to observe a provision of the Highway Code shall not of itself render that person liable to criminal proceedings of any kind but any such failure may in any proceedings (whether civil or criminal, and including proceedings for an offence under the Traffic Acts, the [1981 c. 14.] Public Passenger Vehicles Act 1981 or sections 18 to 23 of the [1985 c. 67.] Transport Act 1985) be relied upon by any party to the proceedings as tending to establish or negative any liability which is in question in those proceedings.[3]

The first edition was published in 1931, with a price of one penny, and as of 2004 over one million copies of the modern code are sold each year.[4]The current price of the book, as of 2007, is £2.50.

The latest edition of the Highway Code was released in September 2007 and contained new advice such as the risk of smoking while driving and information for novice drivers.[5]

There are 29 new rules.

Rule 27 Equestrian crossings,found in Rules for pedestrians are for horse riders. They have pavement barriers, wider crossing spaces, horse and rider figures in the light panels and either two sets of controls (one higher), or just one higher control panel. Equestrian crossings are used by horse riders. There is often a parallel crossing.

Contents

[edit] References

  1. ^ Introduction. Highway Code. HMSO. Retrieved on 2007-11-18.
  2. ^ Highway Code for Northern Ireland (PDF). Department of Environment. Retrieved on 2007-11-18.
  3. ^ Road Traffic Act 1988 (c.52), s.38(7). Office of Public Sector Information. Retrieved on 3 August 2006.
  4. ^ History of the Highway Code. Driving Standards Agency (2004). Retrieved on 3 August 2006.
  5. ^ Smoking drivers risk prosecution. BBC News.

[edit] Further reading

[edit] See also

[edit] External links