The HIERARCHY OF ROAD USERS

The Highway Code includes lots of advice about protecting the most vulnerable

YOU CAN DO A LOT MORE HARM WITH AN HGV THAN A 50CC MOPED. And a moped can do a lot more damage than a child on foot. That’s now reflected in the Highway Code. Loads of changes were made in a big update in January 2022. Some existing rules were tidied up or clarified, but the guiding principle is the ‘hierarchy of road users’ – those who can do the greatest harm must take the greatest responsibility. The likes of HGV and coach drivers have the greatest duty to look out for other road users, because they’re driving the biggest, heaviest vehicles with the most potential to do damage. Pedestrians are at the opposite end of the hierarchy, as they’re likely to come off worst in any collision. Moped and motorbike riders sit near the middle, as they’re vulnerable to larger and heavier vehicles, but need to take extra care around horse riders, cyclists, and people on foot.