Why it’s time to brush up on the Highway Code

The official highway code book

Think about it – how many times have you looked at the Highway Code since passing your driving test?

Those of you who have are in the minority. That’s because only 23% of drivers have picked up the UK’s road law manual since ditching their L-plates, according to a survey for the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA).

That’s why drivers are now being called on to brush up on the rules of the road.

How social media can help
The DVSA is encouraging motorists – especially young drivers – to follow its Highway Code Twitter and Facebook pages to receive regular updates and reminders about road rules.

It’s hoped that seeing them more regularly will help drivers to remember their rights and obligations.

The Highway Code currently has:

• 38,000 followers on Facebook
• 50,000 followers on Twitter

The DVSA has also issued a new online version of the rules to make it easier to keep up to date.

In its survey, 63% of people said they had used the roads differently since signing up for Highway Code updates.

How times have changed
The Highway Code first arrived on the scene in 1931 and was just 18 pages long. The latest edition has over 150 pages.

When it was launched there were just 2.3 million vehicles in Britain, yet more than 7,000 people were killed in road accidents each year. So it was clear something had to be done.

The first edition contained advice such as sounding your horn when overtaking and even offered tips to drivers of horse-drawn vehicles: “Rotate the whip above the head, then incline the whip to the right or left to show the direction in which the turn is to be made.”