LTB 050/22 – Road Safety Warning! – Highway Code Changes – Staggering Number of Drivers Unaware of New Driving Rules – CWU Poster
No. 050/2022
7 February 2022
Our Ref: E4/22
To: All Branches
Dear Colleagues,
Road Safety Warning! – Highway Code Changes – Staggering Number of Drivers Unaware of New Driving Rules – CWU Poster:
This important LTB is being issued further to LTB No. 017/2022 issued on 13 January 2022.
Recent surveys by motoring and road safety organisations have worryingly revealed that millions of drivers are unaware of the sweeping changes to The Highway Code road laws which came into force on 29th January 2022. One survey found two in three drivers were unaware!
The revamped code establishes a hierarchy of road users, which means those who pose the greatest risk to others have a higher level of responsibility, with drivers having a greater responsibility to look out for and give way to pedestrians and cyclists.
Many of the rule changes in the code are legal requirements, and to disobey these rules is to commit a criminal offence leading to prosecution and huge fines.
Other changes introduce new advisory measures that are not legal requirements but could be drawn upon in court proceedings against drivers.
Many drivers, including CWU members won’t have read the Highway Code for years, so it’s essential that the key changes are clearly explained, with simple memorable messages – hence we’ve produced a simple but clear poster.
The Health, Safety and Environment Department at CWU HQ is concerned that there has been insufficient public education and as a result a lack of awareness, that could potentially lead to an increase in road accidents, road prosecutions and fines – involving some of our members.
In an effort to raise awareness a CWU Poster has been produced to catch the eye of our driver members and to sign post them to the Gov.UK website where the changes are fully explained.
We are sending a thousand posters to each Region and request that these are distributed to Branches and further copies are produced from the attached pdf.
Your help and assistance in spreading the word and raising awareness would be much appreciated.
Attachment:
- CWU 2022 Highway Code Changes poster
Yours sincerely
Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer