On Saturday 29th January, a number of changes to the Highway Code came into effect.
One of the most significant changes was to introduce a ‘hierarchy of road users’ based on vulnerability. This will ensure that people who can cause the most harm in a collision, such as those in vehicles, bear the greatest responsibility to reduce the danger they may pose to others. It will also be required for drivers to give way to pedestrians waiting to cross the road at junctions, not only those already doing so.
The changes mean that a lorry driver will have a greater responsibility to those driving a car or motorcycle, and likewise people cycling would have a greater responsibility than pedestrians. The hierarchy will be, in order of priority: pedestrians; cyclists; horse riders; motorcyclists; cars/taxis; vans/ minibuses, with large passenger and heavy goods vehicles at the bottom.
As you may remember, we previously publicised these changes to the Highway Code as part of Road Safety Week in November.
CEMEX has supported the MPA with content for a Bulletin Update which summarises all the key changes to the Highway code – this Bulletin Update can be found in the download section of UK News website: Highway Code Bulletin Update (830 downloads)