Urgent warning to drivers about major Highway Code change no one knows about

Drivers are being alerted to a major change to the Highway Code which has slipped by largely unnoticed. Changes were recently made to give pedestrians priority in certain situations but many motorists are unfamiliar with the new rules.

They state pedestrians have priority when waiting to cross at a junction, even where there is no pedestrian crossing. This means drivers should be on alert for any pedestrians who may step into the road to cross in front of them, or as they are turning into a junction.

In this situation, drivers may be left fuming with pedestrians and beep their horns in frustration. But according to the updated code, the pedestrians would be in the right.

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This is known as the "hierarchy of road users", and places pedestrians higher than motorists. There are concerns this message has not got through to motorists, and that many would still expect pedestrians to wait and give them priority.

There are clear potential dangers if drivers do not think pedestrians are allowed to cross at junctions. Messages have started airing on radio stations about these changes to the code in a bid to help spread awareness.

The Highway Code states: "At a junction you should give way to pedestrians crossing or waiting to cross a road into which or from which you are turning. You must give way to pedestrians on a zebra crossing, and to pedestrians and cyclists on a parallel crossing.

"Pedestrians have priority when on a zebra crossing, on a parallel crossing or at light controlled crossings when they have a green signal. You should give way to pedestrians waiting to cross a zebra crossing, and to pedestrians and cyclists waiting to cross a parallel crossing."