Martynn Randall is technical editor at Haynes and has been with us for approaching 30 years. He's written more than 60 Haynes publications and has owned more than 85 cars and 60 motorbikes... so far!
The Highway Code is the Haynes Manual for road users. It tells you all you need to know about getting from here to there on the UK’s road network, safely and legally.
However, it’s a comprehensive publication with lots of rules, and if we’re honest, the last time most people looked at it was quite often the day before they took their driving test.
And that’s why it’s easy to be caught out, because the Highway Code contains a number of rules and regulations that people either never knew in the first place, or have forgotten since they last studied the book.
So, here are 10 Highway Code rules you might not know about.
1. Animals must be under control when being herded (rule 58)
Yes, animals are mentioned in the Highway Code. And I’m not talking just about dogs in cars. I’m talking about animals that tend to live in fields, or barns. Sheep, for example.
Now, where you can tell a dog to sit, stay, give a paw etc, sheep tend to be a little more resistant to voice commands.
So, you have to factor that in when moving farm animals along a road. To that end, it makes sense to do it in day time, and to have someone ahead of the herd to warn oncoming road users. All people involved with the animal movement should wear reflective vests.
Finally, if you do have to move animals when the light is fading, the person ahead of the pack should carry a white light, while the person behind the animals should have a red light.
2. Flashing headlights (rule 110)
Flashing your headlights has become almost a universal language. That’s because a simple flash of the lights can be intended to convey a whole range of responses, from “no, no, after you”, through “think you very much indeed”, to “what the bloody hell are you playing at? I’m right HERE!”.
But according to the Highway Code, it’s incorrect to use a flash of your headlights for anything other than to let people know that you are there.
Indeed, the same can largely apply to the horn, which should only be used to make people aware of your presence. And you should never use your horn in a built-up area between 11.30pm and 7.00am, because it’s illegal to do so.
3. It’s illegal to use your horn at night (rule 112)
If you’re driving through a built-up area between 11.30pm and 7.00am, you must not use your horn, unless you’re in a situation where another road user poses a danger. After all, people tend to sleep at nights, and the sharp blare of a car horn is quite likely to disturb their slumber.
So, if you’re a taxi driver pulling up outside someone’s house, you need to get out and knock on the door, not just beep the horn to alert your customer to your presence. And if someone cuts you up, don’t get angry and hit the horn. It’s illegal, and it’s not what the horn is for anyway.
4. Hazard lights (rule 116)
How often have you seen cars either driving along or being towed with the hazard lights flashing? While the sentiment is admirable, it’s actually against the Highway Code.
Hazard lights should only be used when a vehicle is stationary and in a place of some risk, or is partially blocking traffic. And many people flick on the hazards when they’ve parked in a. slightly dodgy position. This, too, is illegal.
The ONLY time you can use hazards on the move is when your vehicle is being towed after breaking down on a motorway or unrestricted dual carriageway.
5. Passing cyclists when there’s a white line (rule 129)
When there are double white lines in the middle of the road, and the one nearest you is solid, you can’t cross it, right? Well, actually you can – in one instance.
If you’re on a single-carriageway road with a solid white line on your side, and you come up behind a cyclist travelling at less than 10mph, then you are legally permitted to cross the white line to overtake them.
In this case, the normal rules of overtaking cyclists apply, so you should leave at least as much room as you would when passing a car, but you should also be aware that solid white lines are placed where it’s deemed dangerous to cross the centre of the road, so make sure you have your wits about you when choosing your moment to overtake – don’t do it where the risk is higher.
6. Give way to upcoming traffic on a hill (rule 155)
This rule tends to apply to narrower, single-track roads, roads with passing places, or roads with cars parked up one side.
On such roads, if you’re coming down a hill and see a car coming towards you, you should pull over where you can, and let the upcoming car continue to travel unhindered. This rule is in place because it is deemed more difficult to start your car moving when you’re travelling uphill, whereas the person coming downhill has the natural assistance of gravity.
7. Give way to pedestrians when turning off a main road (rule 170)
This is a biggie, because the rules were changed a while back to alter who has priority in certain situations. And this is one of them. So, if you’re turning into or out of a junction, and there are pedestrians there waiting to cross, you are required to give way to them. And if they have begun to cross, you must let them do so.
This rule applies in the same way that you have to stop and give way to pedestrians on a zebra crossing.
8. You must drive around mini-roundabouts, not over them (rule 188)
Mini roundabouts are supposed to be treated in exactly the same way you would a full-size roundabout, which means you’re meant to drive around the circumference of the roundabout, not over the top of it (which ever so slightly defeats the purpose of the roundabout in the first place).
However, this rule doesn’t apply to larger vehicles, which might be physically incapable of negotiating such a roundabout.
The small dimensions of such roundabouts are also why the Highway Code says that you shouldn’t attempt a U-turn around them, because you\re likely going to have to reverse at some point during the process, which isn’t ideal.
9. Don’t park your car facing the wrong way (rule 248)
There you are, trundling along a road looking for a place to park, when a spot presents itself on the other side of the road. So, you immediately drive into it and park up with your car facing oncoming traffic. And if the place where you’ve parked isn’t a recognised parking space, you’re likely to come out to a ticket on the windscreen the next morning.
This is because the law demands that you park in the same direction as the traffic on your side of the road. That’s also why your car has rear reflectors, so that it’s easily visible when parked up.
10. It’s illegal to hog the middle lane (rule 264)
This is a rule that I suspect most people know, but it very often doesn’t seem like it. We’ve all seen the signs on the motorway that state “Keep left unless overtaking”. Well, this isn’t just a hint, it’s the law.
You are supposed to drive in the left-hand lane, then pull out if you need to overtake, then pull back into the left-hand lane as son as you can.
However, too many people simply activate the radar cruise control system in their cars, and simply sit in the middle lane behind the car in front. Don’t do it, folks!