UK puts vulnerable road users first in new highway code

The introduction section of the UK Highway Code has been updated to include new rules concerning a revised ‘hierarchy of road users’.

The hierarchy places those road users most at risk in the event of a collision at the top of the hierarchy, but “it does not remove the need for everyone to behave responsibly”.

The approach is similar to the inverse pyramid of road safety priority ETSC has promoted for urban mobility for many years, which puts pedestrians and cyclists at the top, followed by motorcyclists, cars, vans and lorries.

The new rules give greater priority to pedestrians when crossing roads, and set out the appropriate passing distance when overtaking cyclists.

The changes are explained in full on the UK government website.