Road to safety – why drivers MUST read the new Highway Code

ROAD Safety Minister Jim Fitzpatrick is calling for all drivers to read the latest Highway Code after its first major rewrite in eight years.

The new Code, revealed towards the end of last year, has been substantially rewritten to reflect the different hazards and issues facing modern drivers. Because of the number of changes, the Minister has called on all motorists, including business drivers, to update their knowledge to ensure they are safe on the road and that they can meet the standards expected of modern drivers.

He said: “The Official Highway Code is for life, not just for passing your driving test. It is a crucial tool for all road users – car drivers, motorcyclists, cyclists, horse riders and pedestrians alike.

“Road safety is a responsibility we all share and everyone should have a copy of the Code to keep their knowledge up-to-date.”

In addition to 29 more rules, there have been substantial rewrites of key sections, with the addition of important new advice that is aimed at lowering crashes, but also reducing emissions and congestion. The new Code was drawn up following a public consultation, which resulted in 26,963 comments being received. This has helped influence more than just the rules, as the language used in the Code has changed. The word “accident” has been banned for many years by driver training experts, who are keen to establish that many crashes are avoidable. The new Highway Code has now adopted this thinking and “accidents” have become “collisions”, “incidents” or “crashes”.

Substabtial

But the changes are much more substantial than just alterations to the wording of the Code.

To reflect new legislation, there is now advice about smoking while driving as part of a new two paragraph section on distractions. Smoking has been banned in many company vehicles throughout the United Kingdom over the past few years. Rule 148 states: “Safe driving and riding needs concentration. Avoid distractions when driving or riding such as loud music (this may mask other sounds); trying to read maps; inserting a cassette or CD or tuning a radio; arguing with your passengers or other road users; eating and drinking; smoking.”

It also warns that while handheld phones are illegal to use when driving, hands-free phones are also a distraction.

Satellite navigation systems now also come under the safety spotlight, along with any other multi-media devices in the car.

The Code warns: “There is a danger of driver distraction being caused by in-vehicle systems such as satellite navigation systems, congestion warning systems, PCs, multi-media, etc. You MUST exercise proper control of your vehicle at all times.

“Do not rely on driver assistance systems such as cruise control or lane departure warnings. They are available to assist but you should not reduce your concentration levels.”

There is also new advice to wear reflective clothing if a vehicle breaks down to ensure that other drivers can see you.

The advice falls short of some countries in mainland Europe, where a fluorescent jacket is a legal requirement, but it does help recognise the concerns of companies about the safety of employees in breakdowns and clarify what they should do. In 2006, a fleet manager who saw the aftermath of a fatal road accident urged other companies to put fluorescent jackets in cars to prevent similar tragedies.

Brian Ingham, director and company secretary of ACE Vehicle Deliveries, told members of the Midlands regional meeting of ACFO, the fleet managers’ association: “I saw the result of an accident where a woman’s car had hit the central reservation and the driver’s door was wedged shut. She climbed out of the passenger door and was hit by passing traffic as she tried to run to the hard shoulder. If she had been wearing a high visibility vest, she may have been saved.”

Another change to the Code could tackle the misery of delays and congestion at roadworks, according to the Institute of Advanced Motorists. For the first time, the Highway Code has a rule on “merging in turn” as part of a section on lane discipline. It says: “In congested road conditions do not change lanes unnecessarily. Merging in turn is recommended but only if safe and appropriate when vehicles are travelling at a very low speed, eg when approaching road works or a road traffic incident. It is not recommended at high speed.”

Peter Rodger, chief examiner at the IAM, which has long campaigned for merging in turn to be officially approved, said: “We are pleased to see this as we believe it will ease many pinchpoints at roadworks.

“It will encourage drivers to use all the available lanes - right up to the lane closure - and could make roadworks less of a problem. It will avoid frustration and mean everybody gets through the restriction that much quicker.”

Another new piece of advice reminds motorists that it isn’t just the blue flashing lights of police cars that they need to watch out for.

Wave

Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) vehicles can also wave drivers in on all roads in England and Wales, while the Highways Agency’s Traffic Officers can also stop vehicles for safety reasons on the motorway. Not pulling over is an offence.

It isn’t just safety that is covered in the new Code, as the environment is considered too. Motorists are also urged to switch their engines off when trapped in traffic jams. Rule 123 states: “Generally, if the vehicle is stationary and is likely to remain so for more than a couple of minutes, you should apply the parking brake and switch off the engine to reduce emissions and noise pollution.”

Mr Rodger added: “All these changes add up to a total of 145 pages compared to 100 in the last edition. Where the code says “must” or “must not” it is telling the reader what the law says. Where it says “should”, or “should not” it is giving advice. It really is worth knowing what that advice is and the “rules” that we are all supposed to work within.”

The Highway Code is published by The Stationery Office and costs £2.50. Visit www. tsoshop.co.uk/highwaycode or call 0870 600 5522. Copies are also available from High Street and online bookstores. The Code is also available free at www.direct.gov.uk/highwaycode

Code is unread by most

Numerous surveys have shown that most drivers haven’t looked at the Code since passing their driving test.

In 2006, research carried out for the IAM found that in a test, only 29 out of 1,000 motorists recognised all of the 10 Highway Code signs they were shown.

Churchill Car Insurance recently revealed that nearly two-fifths of drivers hadn’t heard of the latest updates.

And in a major survey carried out by the Stationery Office among 2,000 motorists, it found half did not have a copy of the Code in their homes and half had not looked at one in the last five years.

Updated version puts tomorrow’s company car drivers in the spotlight

A new Safety Code for Novice Drivers aims to help motorists in their first few months behind the wheel.

Novice drivers are advised of the risks they face, with up to one in five having a collision within a year of passing their tests. Road crashes are the single biggest killer of young people and every hour of every day a person under 25 is killed or seriously injured in a car crash. In the last four years, the death rate amongst young drivers has more than doubled, while the overall number of deaths and serious injuries has fallen.

The Code now warns against showing off or competing with other drivers. It tells new drivers: “If you are driving with passengers, you are responsible for their safety. Don’t let them distract you or encourage you to take risks. Never show off or try to compete with other drivers”.

It also warns: “Most new drivers have no experience of driving high-powered or sporty cars. Unless you have learnt to drive in such a vehicle you need to get plenty of experience driving on your own before driving a more powerful car.”

Road Safety Minister Jim Fitzpatrick said: “We know that the first few months after passing your driving test can be a risky time. The latest Code offers practical safety advice and reminders of the rules new drivers must abide by.”

The changes in the Code are just part of a number of initiatives planned to reduce accidents among young drivers, including the launch of changes to the driving test. A Government consultation on proposed changes is now under way. Among them is a proposal to make the initial driving test longer and tougher. After passing their first test, candidates may have to master key skills of the current driving test, such as parallel parking and reversing around a corner, before being allowed to take a new practical L-test.

Each mastered key skill would be signed off by a qualified instructor in a logbook.

Learner drivers would have to spend up to 500 hours on the road – a fivefold increase in the 100-odd hours experts say learner drivers now typically spend to pass their test.

Driving for work is another area that is being considered by the Driving Standards Agency as part of the organisation’s ongoing ‘safe driving for life’ strategy review.

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