Half of drivers have not learn the Highway Code since passing their check
- Poll finds 55% have not learn Highway Code since passing their check
- This is regardless of main modifications to the street consumer’s guide within the final two years
- Figures present large spike in fines to drivers associated to Highway Code modifications
More than half (55 per cent) of drivers have not learn the Highway Code since they handed their driving check, a brand new ballot has revealed.
Two in 5 motorists over the age of 60 – lots of whom have been behind the wheel for over 4 a long time – say they have not glanced over the street consumer’s guide since they gained their licence.
The majority of respondents to the two,000-strong driver survey mentioned they handed their check greater than 10 years in the past, which raises ‘main considerations for the nation’s street security’, says comparability website Go Compare.
The research comes simply weeks after the RAC discovered that many drivers are ignoring a number of the newest guidelines added to the Highway Code, together with giving approach to pedestrians at junctions.
More than half of drivers polled in a brand new research haven’t learn the Highway Code since they first handed their check
The ballot discovered male drivers usually tend to carry on prime of street guidelines and rules.
Since passing their driving check, 51 per cent of males declare to have revisited the Highway Code, in comparison with simply 38 per cent of ladies who’ve brushed up with the handbook.
While older motorists usually tend to have reacquainted themselves with the Highway Code, the breakdown in numbers fails to present confidence that everybody on the street is conscious of the principles.
Drivers aged 60 and over are most probably to have reverted again to the Highway Code since passing their check, with 60 per cent on this age bracket claiming to have re-read the guide.
However, this leaves two in 5 older drivers navigating the roads probably with a lack of knowledge of the abundance of contemporary guidelines since they first handed their check a long time earlier,
Meanwhile, solely 44 per cent of respondents aged 40 to 59 mentioned they’d caught up on the Highway Code since passing, as did slightly below a 3rd (30 per cent) of drivers aged 25 to 39.
Three quarters of drivers between 18 and 24 years outdated haven’t learn the Highway Code since passing their check.
In solely the final 10 years going again to 2015, the Highway Code has been up to date on 24 separate events.
Multiple sections have been amended, modified, or added in every evaluation.
And most of the most notably updates have come lately.
This graphic exhibits two of the most important modifications to the Highway Code in January 2022 involving motorists, cyclists and pedestrians
The hierarchy of street customers launched in January 2022 is a pyramid scheme of safety to maintain those that are most weak protected
Have Highway Code modifications failed? A ballot of drivers suggests they’ve executed little to spice up pedestrian security, particularly as greater than three quarters of motorists declare to disregard one of many largest modifications launched two years in the past
New guidelines making it unlawful to even to the touch a cellular whereas driving had been launched in March 2022, with the consequence being a tremendous of as much as £1,000 and 6 penalty factors.
Earlier that 12 months, the Highway Code additionally launched a brand new hierarchy of street customers scheme, which made drivers of bigger autos extra answerable for the security of extra weak street customers.
It additionally caused modifications to guidelines relating to who has precedence at junctions, with motorists anticipated to present approach to pedestrians together with the street.
Earlier this month, it was revealed that one in 5 (18 per cent) of motorists imagine this transformation has failed to enhance security for essentially the most weak street customers.
This is basically as a result of many merely do not know it or select to disregard it.
Less than 1 / 4 (23 per cent) of two,500 motorists polled by the RAC in January claimed to all the time give precedence to pedestrians at junctions because the rule change, whereas the same proportion (19 per cent) admitted they don’t cease fairly often – and 6 per cent mentioned they by no means give approach to pedestrians in these situations.
This is Money performed its personal ballot of readers to see what number of drivers would give approach to a pedestrian who’s ready to cross the street at a junction.
Of the 6,220 MailOnline readers who took park, 65 per cent mentioned they don’t give approach to pedestrians on this state of affairs.
Recent updates to the Highway Code have additionally offered extra rights to cyclists to journey in the midst of lanes and two abreast when in teams – a lot to the frustration of many drivers.
The updates launched in 2022 has already seen a sharp spike within the variety of motorists being issued fastened penalty notices (FPNs).
Home Office figures analysed by the AA earlier this month present the variety of FPNs issued to drivers being caught utilizing a handheld system in 2022 elevated by 93 per cent.
Some 37,900 FPNs had been issued to drivers caught on their telephones in 2022, up from 19,600 the 12 months earlier than.
It’s the identical case for FPNs issued to motorists for failing to present approach to pedestrians.
The Home Office stats exhibits that FPNs issued to motorists for ‘neglect of site visitors indicators and instructions and of pedestrian rights’ surged from 78,900 in 2021 to 105,500 in 2022. That’s a rise of 33.8 per cent.
Changes to the Highway Code launched on 29 January 2022 encourage cyclists to journey in the midst of the street in some circumstances and, even when there’s a cycle lane, they won’t be obliged to make use of it
Tom Banks from GoCompare, mentioned: ‘The Highway Code is crucial studying for all street customers, not simply learners.
‘It’s often up to date to make sure that drivers stay conscious of the newest modifications in guidelines and rules, so it is alarming to see that greater than half have by no means revisited it, placing themselves and others in danger.
‘Road customers can simply keep updated with the Highway Code by means of the official authorities web site.
‘You may signal as much as obtain electronic mail notifications when any new modifications are revealed, in addition to comply with the newest information on the official Highway Code social media channels.
‘Alternatively, motorists can learn absolutely up to date variations of the Highway Code by shopping for a bodily copy of the official guide or downloading the official app. The latter additionally contains interactive content material, similar to quizzes to check your data.’
