24 February 2022
There have been some recent additions to the Highway Code, designed to enhance the safety of pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders. A few of the new rules are aimed directly at drivers, so we thought it would be useful to run through the new directives – and to highlight how these changes will affect you as you drive around in your classic car.
It's essential to familiarise yourself with the Highway Code – it's one of the basic building blocks of being a responsible driver. As a classic car owner, of course, another of those key building blocks is some specialist classic motor insurance.
Not only is the correct insurance a legal requirement for all drivers, having the right classic car insurance may also provide financial assistance if you do ever find yourself in difficulty – either needing to pay for repairs to your own vehicle, or having to compensate a third party if you have been at fault in an accident. We’ll run through what to do in the event of an accident a little further down this article.
First, though, read on as we run through the new changes to the Highway Code and how they will impact you and your classic.
The first thing you may notice is that the Code's introduction has been updated, and now includes three new rules that discuss the ‘hierarchy of road users’.
What does this mean? Well, it identifies those road users who are most at risk in the event of a collision. Essentially, this means pedestrians, cyclists, and horse riders – all those not protected from impact by sitting inside a large metal vehicle.
The Code states that these more vulnerable road users should be at the top of the hierarchy – which is to say that other road users – vehicle drivers, essentially – should give way to them.
Within this hierarchy, of course, pedestrians are most vulnerable of all. In the event of, say, a pedestrian meeting a cyclist, it's the latter who should give way.
The Code does still remind us, however, that everyone – whether pedestrian or motorist – must behave responsibly when on the public highway. All road users should be aware of the Highway Code; they should behave considerately to other road users; and they should understand that they have a responsibility for the safety of others.
Updates to the Highway Code now make it clear that, when pedestrians are either crossing or waiting to cross at a road junction, other road users should give way and let them cross. This includes cyclists and, of course, motorists.
The new rule clarifies that:
As a motorist, you should not cut across more vulnerable road users – such as horse riders, cyclists, or horse-drawn vehicles – who are proceeding straight ahead, while you are turning into or out of a junction, changing lanes or changing direction.
You wouldn't turn across the path of another motor vehicle: this rule makes it clear that you should not turn across the path of pedestrians, cyclists or horse riders either. This holds true whether the latter are using a cycle lane, a cycle track, or riding ahead on the road.
The updated Code states that motorists may – if necessary, and provided the road ahead is clear – cross a double white line to overtake someone cycling or riding a horse. However, this only applies if the latter is travelling at a speed of 10mph or less.
The Code also features some updated guidance on the safe passing distances and speeds for motorists who are overtaking vulnerable road users – such as pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders. These are as follows:
If, in any of these scenarios, you cannot give the cyclist, horse rider or pedestrian the clearance stated above – for example, because oncoming traffic means that you can't swing out wider – then you should wait behind them, and not overtake until road conditions allow you to do so safely.
The Highway Code also has some new advice around getting out of your car. Specifically, it recommends a new technique that is sometimes known as the ‘Dutch Reach’.
Essentially, this technique means exiting your vehicle by using your hand on the opposite side to the door you are opening. So, typically, as a driver, you will leave the car through the driver's door, which is on the right hand side of the car. Instead, the 'Dutch Reach' involves using your left hand, rather than the more obvious right hand, to open the door.
Why do they recommend doing it like this? Well, the action of reaching over to open that door with the opposite hand means that you naturally turn your head to look over your shoulder and behind the car. This will give you a better view of anyone coming up behind you, and make you less likely to injure any passers-by.
As a classic car owner, you may have already adopted this technique to reduce the risk of collisions. If not, give it a try today.
There is also new guidance around how drivers should charge their electric vehicles (EVs).
When using an electric vehicle charging point, drivers should:
But hang on – surely this doesn't concern the classic car crowd, who are all driving cars made years or even decades before electric vehicles became a reality? Not necessarily. It’s now perfectly possible to convert your classic into an EV, giving you the best of both worlds: classic style, and modern efficiency.
If you’re working on an electric restoration, make sure you’ve got specialist classic car insurance in place.
Yes, the growth in electric vehicles (EVs) hasn’t been restricted to the very latest crop of cars to reach the market. No, it's perfectly possible to have your classic car converted into an EV.
And, on one level, why wouldn't you? You’ll save money on your fuel bills; you should see reductions in your road tax and any congestion charges you are currently liable for; and you can also expect to make a saving on maintenance and servicing costs, as electric drive systems use fewer parts and there is, generally, less to go wrong. And most importantly, there are environmental benefits, too.
However it will obviously cost you a few thousand pounds to convert your classic to electric. We talk more about the pros and cons elsewhere on our site.
Just remember to inform your classic car insurance provider, if and when you do go ahead and make the change to electric.
None of us wants to be involved in a car accident. But, whether it's another driver or yourself at fault, the reality is that an accident can happen quickly – and unexpectedly.
So, here is a checklist of what to do – to make sure you do the right thing legally, and also to avoid invalidating any claims you may need to make on your classic car insurance policy.
If you haven't contacted them immediately as above, you should notify the police about the accident within 24 hours. Failure to do so could result in a fine, penalty points on your licence (with a resulting increase in your classic car insurance premium), or even a disqualification from driving.
Make sure you get all these details at the accident scene:
But what if no one else is involved in the accident – for example, if you have damaged someone's property, or their parked car? In this case, you should leave your details at the scene so that the owner of the car or property can contact you.
The temptation might be to drive off, but you really shouldn't. If a witness or a CCTV camera does happen to observe you exiting the scene without leaving your details, you could find yourself in hot water.
You should contact your classic car insurance provider as soon as possible after the accident – whether or not you intend to make a claim.
Your insurer will ask you for your policy number, and the registration number of the cars involved, plus – if you have them – the details of the other driver. These will include their name, address, phone number and insurance details.
You may decide not to claim, either to keep your no-claims intact (unless you have protected no claims), or because the repairs may be minimal and you may decide to pay for them yourself.
Even if you decide against making a claim, you should still tell your insurer about the accident. Why is this? Well, it's possible that the other driver may try to make a claim without your knowledge.
Lastly, let's take a look back at the Highway Code itself – that bible of UK road safety for over 90 years.
We go into much greater detail on the Code in our article on the history of the Highway Code, but let's just remind ourselves of a few key milestones along the way so we can see how much has changed.
You will also find our quick history of car safety a fascinating read.
1931: The first Highway Code appears, published by the UK Government. It has arisen out of the 1930 Road Traffic Act, the first legal document to make careless driving an offence. Transport Minister Herbert Morrison hopes that it will serve as "a code of good manners to be observed by all courteous and considerate persons".
1934: The Code's second edition appears. This version is considerably longer than its predecessor, and is also the first version to include diagrams of some common road signs – plus a warning about the dangers of driving while tired or under the influence of alcohol.
1954: The fourth edition introduces colour illustrations, while its back cover features some basic first aid instruction. The traffic signs section also looks different, as it has to accommodate the new triangular warning signs that have recently been introduced.
1959: The Highway Code's fifth edition has a very important new section: driving discipline on motorways. The UK's very first section of motorway, the Preston Bypass (now part of the M6) opened the previous December, while the M1, our first complete motorway, opened during 1959 itself. Britons are only just getting used to driving on this all-new type of road, and the Highway Code provides some essential guidance.
1978: In response to the boom in car ownership and, consequently, growing numbers of pedestrian casualties, the 1978 edition introduces the Green Cross Code, a subsection designed to teach pedestrians about road safety. This year also sees the introduction of The Green Cross Man, a superhero who teaches children all about road safety.
2012: The Highway Code app is introduced, allowing motorists to keep track of the latest developments and also to test their road knowledge regularly.
Car accidents can be stressful for everyone involved. Here at Lancaster, we have a 24-hour claims helpline, so we’re here when you need us most.
Benefits of cover through us can also include:
Contact us to arrange a quote for classic car insurance today.
Policy benefits, features and discounts offered may very between insurance schemes or cover selected and are subject to underwriting criteria. Information contained within this article is accurate at the time of publishing but may be subject to change.