Rules for all types of road users have been updated in the Highway Code to improve the safety of people walking, cycling and riding horses. The changes follow a consultation which received more than 20,000 responses from the public, businesses, and other organisations – most of whom were in favour of all the proposed changes.
Changes include a new ‘hierarchy of road users’ which places users most at risk in the event of a collision at the top of the hierarchy. Drivers now need to give way at junctions to pedestrians and people on cycles or horses must leave a distance of at least 1.5 metres when overtaking cyclists. It also advises people to use the Dutch Reach method when getting out of a vehicle to reduce the risk of injury to others.