Knowing and applying The Highway Code to your driving can significantly reduce the deaths and injuries that occur on our roads every day, which is a responsibility that all road users share. You will also need to know and understand these rules to pass your theory test.

Many of the rules in the Code are legal requirements and if you disobey these rules you are committing a criminal offence. You may be fined, given penalty points on your licence or be disqualified from driving. In the most serious cases you may be sent to prison. Such rules are identified by the use of the words ‘MUST/MUST NOT’. These rules includes an abbreviated reference to the legislation which creates the offence.

Although failure to comply with the other rules of the Code will not, in itself, cause a person to be prosecuted, The Highway Code may be used in evidence in any court proceedings under the Traffic Acts to establish liability which insurance companies may rely on, can affect your no-claims history and increase the cost of your future premiums if you are deemed to be at fault. This includes rules which use advisory wording such as ‘should/should not’ or ‘do/do not’.

The Highway Code can be read free online here

You also need to become familiar with Know Your Traffic Signs