One In Five Over-50s Have Not Read The Highway Code Since Passing Their Test, And The Rules Have Changed Dramatically

If you passed your driving test more than a decade ago and have not looked at the Highway Code since, you are far from alone. Research by Age Co found that one in five drivers over the age of 50 have never revisited the Highway Code after qualifying, and among those who have, many are unaware of changes that fundamentally alter who has priority on the road and how drivers are expected to behave around pedestrians, cyclists, and other vulnerable users.

The Highway Code underwent its most significant overhaul in a generation in January 2022, when more than 125 rules were introduced or amended. Since then, additional updates have continued to reshape the rules of the road. Yet awareness of these changes remains alarmingly low. YouGov polling found that fewer than half of British adults could correctly identify the Dutch Reach technique, and a significant proportion of drivers remain unaware that pedestrians now have priority at junctions in circumstances where they previously did not.

These are not optional suggestions. While some Highway Code guidance is advisory, using language such as “should” or “should not,” many of the updated rules carry full legal force, flagged by the words “MUST” and “MUST NOT.” Breaking them can result in fines of up to £5,000, penalty points, and in serious cases, prosecution.

Here is what has changed, why it changed, and what every driver needs to know.

The Hierarchy Of Road Users

The single most important change introduced in January 2022, and the one that underpins almost every other update, is the new hierarchy of road users. This principle, set out in Rule H1, establishes that those who can cause the greatest harm bear the greatest responsibility to reduce the danger they pose to others.

At the top of the hierarchy are the most vulnerable: children, older adults, and disabled people. Below them are pedestrians generally, then cyclists, then horse riders, then motorcyclists. Drivers of cars sit below all of these groups, and drivers of large vehicles such as vans, buses, and lorries carry the greatest responsibility of all.

This does not mean that pedestrians and cyclists have no responsibility for their own safety. It means that when something goes wrong, the legal and moral expectation falls most heavily on the person operating the vehicle capable of causing the most serious injury. For drivers, the practical implication is straightforward: you are expected to anticipate the behaviour of more vulnerable road users and adjust your driving accordingly, even if they do something unexpected.

Most drivers who qualified before 2022 were never taught this hierarchy. It did not exist. Understanding it is now fundamental to staying on the right side of the law.

Pedestrians Now Have Priority At Junctions

Before 2022, the general understanding among drivers was that pedestrians only had priority at designated crossings such as zebra and pelican crossings. Everywhere else, pedestrians were expected to wait for a gap in traffic.

Rule H2 changed that. Drivers turning into or out of a junction must now give way to pedestrians who are crossing or waiting to cross the road they are turning into. This applies whether or not there is a formal crossing point. If you are turning left into a side street and a pedestrian is standing at the kerb waiting to cross that street, you must stop and let them go.

YouGov research found that while three quarters of drivers could correctly identify this rule when asked directly, a significant minority either did not know or got it wrong. On the road, the gap between knowing the rule and actually applying it appears to be even wider. Many drivers still treat junctions as car-priority zones, particularly at quieter side streets where pedestrians have historically been expected to wait.

The rule also applies at zebra crossings and parallel crossings, where drivers must give way to pedestrians who are waiting to cross, not just those who have already stepped onto the crossing. This is a subtle but significant change from the previous guidance, which many drivers interpreted as meaning they only needed to stop once a pedestrian was physically on the crossing.

Cyclists Have Priority When You Are Turning

Rule H3 addresses one of the most common causes of collisions between cars and bicycles: the left hook, where a driver turns left across the path of a cyclist who is travelling straight ahead.

The updated code states that drivers must not cut across cyclists, horse riders, or horse-drawn vehicles going ahead when turning into or out of a junction or changing direction or lane. If a cyclist is going straight on and you want to turn left, you must wait behind them and let them pass before making your turn, just as you would wait for another car.

This rule applies at roundabouts too. Drivers must give priority to cyclists already on the roundabout and must not attempt to overtake them within their lane. Cyclists are entitled to use the full lane and to move across the path of motor vehicles as they travel around the roundabout.

For many drivers, this feels counterintuitive. Cyclists are slower, and the instinct is to get past them. But the Highway Code is explicit: on a roundabout, the cyclist has priority, and the driver must wait.

The Dutch Reach

The Dutch Reach is one of the most talked-about additions to the Highway Code, and also one of the least understood. Age Co’s research found that almost half of respondents were unsure what it was.

The technique is simple. When opening your car door, you use the hand furthest from the door rather than the one nearest to it. If you are sitting in the driver’s seat, you reach across with your left hand to open the door on your right. This forces your body to twist towards the rear of the vehicle, naturally directing your line of sight towards any approaching cyclists, motorcyclists, or other traffic.

The purpose is to prevent “dooring” incidents, where a driver or passenger opens their door into the path of a cyclist. These collisions can be serious or fatal, particularly on busy urban roads where cyclists are riding close to parked cars. The Dutch Reach originated in the Netherlands, where it has been taught to drivers for decades and is credited with significantly reducing dooring injuries.

The Highway Code now advises all vehicle occupants to use this technique. While it is advisory rather than mandatory, a driver who doors a cyclist through careless door opening can still face prosecution for causing injury through negligence, and awareness of the Dutch Reach could be a factor in determining liability.

The 1.5-Metre Passing Rule

When overtaking a cyclist, drivers must now leave a minimum gap of 1.5 metres at speeds up to 30 mph, and a wider gap at higher speeds. At 30 mph and above, the recommended distance is at least two metres.

To put 1.5 metres in perspective, it is roughly the width of a car door fully opened. If you cannot leave that much space between your vehicle and the cyclist, you should not be overtaking. The code also permits drivers to cross a double white line if necessary to overtake a cyclist or horse rider travelling at 10 mph or less, provided the road ahead is clear.

Many police forces now run Operation Close Pass initiatives, using plain-clothes officers on bicycles equipped with cameras to identify drivers who pass too closely. Penalties can include a £100 fixed penalty notice and three points on your licence, or prosecution and a fine of up to £5,000 for more serious offences.

Cyclists Can Ride In The Centre Of The Lane

Rule 72 now states that cyclists should ride in the centre of their lane on quiet roads, in slower-moving traffic, and when approaching junctions or road narrowings. This is not cyclists being awkward. It is the Highway Code telling them to do it, because riding in the centre of the lane makes them more visible, discourages dangerous close passes, and gives them a better position to be seen by drivers at junctions.

On busier roads where traffic is moving faster, cyclists are advised to keep at least half a metre from the kerb edge. But the days of expecting cyclists to hug the gutter are officially over, and any driver who flashes, honks, or pressures a cyclist riding in the middle of their lane is the one in the wrong.

Mobile Phone Rules Have Been Tightened

Since March 2022, it has been illegal to use a mobile phone for any purpose while driving, not just for calls and texts. The previous law, dating from 2003, only covered making calls and sending messages. The updated rule means that taking a photograph, playing a game, scrolling through a playlist, or even checking the time on your phone while holding it is now an offence.

The penalty is a £200 fine and six penalty points. For newly qualified drivers who are still within their first two years, six points means an automatic licence revocation.

Phones can still be used hands-free through Bluetooth or a wired connection for calls and navigation, but the device must be secured in a cradle or mount, not held in your hand or resting on your lap. Touching a mounted phone to accept a call or adjust the sat nav is permitted, but extended interaction is not.

What Happens If You Get It Wrong

The consequences of ignoring the updated Highway Code range from a fixed penalty notice to prosecution and a substantial fine. For most of the rules covered here, the penalties include fines of up to £1,000 for standard offences, rising to £2,500 for motorway offences, and up to £5,000 for the most serious cases involving dangerous driving or causing injury.

Beyond the financial penalties, ignorance of the updated rules can also affect liability in the event of an accident. If you are involved in a collision with a cyclist at a junction and the investigation finds you failed to give priority under Rule H3, your insurance position and potential criminal liability could be significantly affected. The same applies to dooring incidents, close passes, and any situation where the updated hierarchy of road users places the greater responsibility on the driver.

As we explored in our piece on proposed driving law changes that could affect every UK driver, the government is currently consulting on further changes to how driving fitness is assessed, particularly for older drivers. If mandatory eyesight testing is introduced for licence renewals, it is not a stretch to imagine that awareness of the current Highway Code could eventually follow. In the meantime, the responsibility to stay current falls entirely on the individual driver.

The Highway Code is available free online at GOV.UK. Reading it takes less than an afternoon. Not reading it could cost considerably more.

Sources

The Highway Code: 8 Changes You Need to Know (GOV.UK)

Updates to The Highway Code (GOV.UK)

What Are the New Highway Code Rules and Do Britons Know What Has Changed (YouGov)

Drivers Face £5,000 Fines for Breaking Updated Highway Code Rules (GB News)

Highway Code Changes 2022 Explained (Cinch)