Driving and Parking
The Highway Code
Summary
The Highway Code is GOV.UK's official guide to road safety and rules for England, Scotland and Wales. It covers pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists, drivers, and other road users. Rules marked MUST/MUST NOT are legal requirements; other rules are advisory but may be used in evidence in court proceedings.
Key information
- •Applies to England, Scotland and Wales.
- •Essential reading for all road users, including pedestrians and mobility scooter users.
- •Legal rules use MUST/MUST NOT; breach can result in fines, penalty points, disqualification, or prosecution.
- •Hierarchy of road users (H1–H3) prioritises protection of pedestrians, cyclists, horse riders, and others most at risk.
- •Includes rules on driving, parking, motorways, signals, signs, markings, penalties, and annexes on documentation and first aid.
Practical guidance
- •Read the section relevant to how you use the road (pedestrian, cyclist, driver, etc.).
- •Pay special attention to MUST/MUST NOT rules — these are legal requirements.
- •Use the index section if you need to look up a specific topic.
- •For penalty points and disqualification, see Highway Code — Annex 5: Penalties and penalty points.
- •For how the Code relates to legislation, see Highway Code — Annex 4: The road user and the law.
Related topics
Driving and ParkingMotoring OffencesHighway CodeLegal aidRoad traffic lawParking and waiting restrictionsMotoring offences
Sources
- GOV.UK — [The Highway Code](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code) — `raw/govuk/highway-code/introduction.md`
This is signposting information from the Legal Shaman wiki, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified solicitor for your situation.