New Year Resolution? Read the New Highway Code!

THE VERY best New Year resolution any driver can make is to buy, read and act on the 2007 revised edition of the Highway Code says road safety champion GEM Motoring Assist (GEM).GEM, formerly known as the Guild of Experienced Motorists, is concerned that very few people revisit the Highway Code once they have passed their test. It says that the Code that has been around for more than 75 years and has made a great contribution to road safety but that driving conditions today are very different to even a few decades ago when many people using our roads today would have taken the test. David Williams, Chief Executive of GEM, said: “The new Code is essential reading for all road users whether they are pedestrians, cyclists, horse riders or drivers. It contains the very latest rules of the road and many of these are legal requirements.”In summary the new edition that was issued in September contains 29 more rules than before - it includes a new section on rules for users of powered wheelchairs and powered scooters; features a safety code for new drivers to help them through the very vulnerable first 12 months; it explains new legislation on vehicle emissions and smoking in vehicles that are used for work and outlines new road initiatives like home zones and quiet lanes active traffic management schemes.David said: “I am very pleased that much more emphasis has been placed throughout the Code on courtesy, attitude, awareness and consideration for other road users. These are points GEM has always emphasised and our 65,000 members have to agree to drive with care, courtesy and concentration.”Costing just £2.50 the revised Highway Code is available from bookshops or can be downloaded from the government web site with a link provided by GEM from its site at www.motoringassist.com that also provides more details of GEM’s work for road safety and the services it provides to road users.