The government confirmed that road deaths went up in the last year as it continues to try and tackle motorist casualties.
Data released by the Department for Transport (DfT) revealed 1,560 fatalities were recorded in 2021, compared to 1,460 the year before. New Highway Code changes were brought in in January this year in a bid to make roads safer.
The data was a mixed problem for the department as they stressed that the total number of deaths was down 12% compared to the pre- coronavirus pandemic average from 2017 to 2019. However, while the total number of casualties was down 21%, fatalities were above pre-pandemic levels during the months of July to September that year.
New updates to the Highway Code are designed to adapt to new technological innovations, as well as identify problems with the current road safety rules to make travelling all the safer.
So what changes were made to the Highway Code and what is there to be introduced?
What changes to the Highway Code will there be?
Still expected for 2022 are changes to the rules around self-driving cars, where drivers will be allowed to watch TV as they go along.
Motorists will still be expected to take back control at a moment's notice.
No specific date for the changes is yet in place but they are expected for summer this year.
The Department for Transport (DfT) said: "With self-driving technology rapidly developing across the globe, Britain’s first vehicles approved for self-driving could be ready for use later this year. Vehicles will undergo rigorous testing and only be approved as self-driving when they have met stringent standards."
How has the Highway Code changed?
Changes to the Highway Code were made in January this year in a bid to make roads safer for drivers and they include a new hierarchy of the road.
Local authorities, meanwhile, have been given more powers to enforce fines on drivers for minor traffic offences
Hierarchy of the road
A change to the hierarchy of the road was made in which those who can “cause the most harm” on the roads are at the bottom of the hierarchy.
Pedestrians are at the top, followed by cyclists and then horse riders. Motorcyclists are the first vehicle on the list and are higher up than cars, then vans and HGVs.
Pedestrian priority
A rule change was brought in for pedestrians, meaning they are given priority when waiting to cross at a road or junction.
The changes also mean cyclists must give way on shared cycle tracks and pedestrians can use any part of the road unless signs say otherwise.
Cyclists
Cyclists can ride where they feel most visible and motorists must give 1.5 metres of space when they are passing up to 30mph. This goes up to 2 metres over 30 mph, but cyclists are still expected to pull to the left on quieter roads.
Drivers must consider cyclists as another motor vehicle.
Mobile phones
The loophole was closed for people using their phones in the car and it is now only for real emergencies and when the device is hands-free.
Previously, people could technically use their phones if they were not making calls or texts and people often played games if the vehicle was stationary.
Dutch reach
The safest day of opening the door on the side of the road is by reaching across and opening the door with your opposite side. This causes your body to turn and makes you more likely to see cyclists or motor vehicles behind you.
