Currently vehicles are only required to stop at zebra crossings if pedestrians are already on the crossing, I am one of the 73% of people who had no idea, I wrongly believed that vehicles had to stop for anyone waiting to cross. If Parliament approves the proposed Highway Code changes in early 2022, drivers will have to give pedestrians greater priority by stopping to give way to pedestrians waiting to cross as well as those already on the crossing, this is one of the changes that makes a huge amount of sense.
A recent survey by Venson highlights how drivers are unsure of the current Highway Code and how proposed changes in 2022 will prioritise pedestrians and cyclist but will still leave many drivers unsure about the current and new Highway Code. A couple of examples that highlight the lack of driver knowledge are.
45% – It is illegal to have the interior light on in your car whilst driving (FALSE)
53% – It is illegal to splash a pedestrian whilst driving through a puddle at the side of the road (TRUE – Road Traffic Act 1988)
