Official Highway Code Rules Directory

Study all 310 official Highway Code rules (Rules H1-H3 & 1-307) with instant text search.

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Rule 223
Rule 223
Buses, coaches and trams. Give priority to these vehicles when you can do so safely, especially when they signal to pull away from stops. Lo...
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Rule 224
Rule 224
Electric vehicles. Be careful of electric vehicles such as milk floats and trams. Trams move quickly but silently and cannot steer to avoid ...
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Rule 225
Rule 225
Vehicles with flashing amber beacons. These warn of a slow-moving or stationary vehicle (such as a traffic officer vehicle, salt spreader, s...
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Rule 226
Rule 226
You MUST use headlights when visibility is seriously reduced, generally when you cannot see for more than 100 metres (328 feet). You may als...
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Rule 227
Rule 227
Wet weather. In wet weather, stopping distances will be at least double those required for stopping on dry roads (see ‘Typical stopping di...
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Rule 228
Rule 228
In winter check the local weather forecast for warnings of icy or snowy weather. DO NOT drive in these conditions unless your journey is ess...
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Rule 229
Rule 229
Before you set off
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Rule 230
Rule 230
When driving in icy or snowy weather
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Rule 231
Rule 231
Drive extremely carefully when the roads are icy. Avoid sudden actions as these could cause loss of control. You should
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Rule 232
Rule 232
High-sided vehicles are most affected by windy weather, but strong gusts can also blow a car, cyclist, motorcyclist or horse rider off cours...
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Rule 233
Rule 233
In very windy weather your vehicle may be affected by turbulence created by large vehicles. Motorcyclists are particularly affected, so keep...
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Rule 234
Rule 234
Before entering fog check your mirrors then slow down.
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Rule 235
Rule 235
When driving in fog you should
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Rule 236
Rule 236
You MUST NOT use front or rear fog lights unless visibility is seriously reduced (see Rule 226) as they dazzle other road users and can obsc...
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Rule 237
Rule 237
Keep your vehicle well ventilated to avoid drowsiness. Be aware that the road surface may become soft or if it rains after a dry spell it ma...
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Rule 238
Rule 238
You MUST NOT wait or park on yellow lines during the times of operation shown on nearby time plates (or zone entry signs if in a Controlled ...
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Rule 239
Rule 239
Use off-street parking areas, or bays marked out with white lines on the road as parking places, wherever possible. If you have to stop on t...
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Rule 240
Rule 240
You MUST NOT stop or park on
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Rule 241
Rule 241
You MUST NOT park in parking spaces reserved for specific users, such as Blue Badge holders, residents or motorcycles, unless entitled to do...
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Rule 242
Rule 242
You MUST NOT leave your vehicle or trailer in a dangerous position or where it causes any unnecessary obstruction of the road.
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Rule 243
Rule 243
DO NOT stop or park:
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Rule 244
Rule 244
You MUST NOT park partially or wholly on the pavement in London or Scotland. Exceptions are allowed in limited circumstances. You should not...
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Rule 245
Rule 245
Controlled Parking Zones. The zone entry signs indicate the times when the waiting restrictions within the zone are in force. Parking may be...
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Rule 246
Rule 246
Goods vehicles. Vehicles with a maximum laden weight of over 7.5 tonnes (including any trailer) MUST NOT be parked on a verge, pavement or a...
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Rule 247
Rule 247
Loading and unloading. Do not load or unload where there are yellow markings on the kerb and upright signs advise restrictions are in place ...
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Rule 248
Rule 248
You MUST NOT park on a road at night facing against the direction of the traffic flow unless in a recognised parking space.
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Rule 249
Rule 249
All vehicles MUST display parking lights when parked on a road or a lay-by on a road with a speed limit greater than 30 mph (48 km/h).
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Rule 250
Rule 250
Cars, goods vehicles not exceeding 2500 kg laden weight, invalid carriages, motorcycles and pedal cycles may be parked without lights on a r...
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Rule 251
Rule 251
Parking in fog. It is especially dangerous to park on the road in fog. If it is unavoidable, leave your parking lights or sidelights on.
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Rule 252
Rule 252
Parking on hills. If you park on a hill you should:
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Rule 253
Rule 253
Prohibited vehicles. Motorways MUST NOT be used by pedestrians, holders of provisional motorcycle licences, riders of motorcycles under 50 c...
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Rule 254
Rule 254
Traffic on motorways usually travels faster than on other roads, so you have less time to react. It is especially important to use your mirr...
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Rule 255
Rule 255
Signs and signals (see ‘Light signals controlling traffic’) are used to warn you of hazards ahead. For example, there may be an incident...
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Rule 256
Rule 256
A single sign or signal can display advice, restrictions and warnings for all lanes.
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Rule 257
Rule 257
Amber flashing lights. These signals warn of a hazard ahead. You should
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Rule 258
Rule 258
Red flashing light signals and a red ‘X’ on a sign identify a closed lane in which people, stopped vehicles or other hazards are present...
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Rule 259
Rule 259
Joining the motorway. When you join the motorway you will normally approach it from a road on the left (a slip road) or from an adjoining mo...
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Rule 260
Rule 260
When you can see well ahead and the road conditions are good, you should
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Rule 261
Rule 261
You MUST NOT exceed
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Rule 262
Rule 262
The monotony of driving on motorways and other high-speed roads can make you feel sleepy. To minimise the risk, follow the advice in Rule 91...
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Rule 263
Rule 263
Unless directed to do so by a police or traffic officer, you MUST NOT
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Rule 264
Rule 264
Keep in the left lane unless overtaking.
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Rule 265
Rule 265
The right-hand lane of a motorway with three or more lanes MUST NOT be used (except in prescribed circumstances) if you are driving
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Rule 266
Rule 266
Approaching a junction. Look well ahead for signals, signs and road markings. Direction signs may be placed over the road. If you need to, y...
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Rule 267
Rule 267
Do not overtake unless you are sure it is safe and legal to do so. Overtake only on the right. You should
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Rule 268
Rule 268
Do not overtake on the left or move to a lane on your left to overtake. In congested conditions, where adjacent lanes of traffic are moving ...
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Rule 269
Rule 269
Hard shoulder (where present). You MUST NOT use a hard shoulder except in an emergency or if directed to do so by the police, traffic office...
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Rule 270
Rule 270
Emergency areas are located along motorways with no hard shoulder or where the hard shoulder can be used as an extra lane (see Rule 269) and...
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Rule 271
Rule 271
You MUST NOT stop on any carriageway, emergency area, hard shoulder, slip road, central reservation or verge except in an emergency, or when...
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Rule 272
Rule 272
You MUST NOT pick up or set down anyone, or walk on a motorway, except in an emergency.
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Rule 273
Rule 273
Unless signs indicate that a lane leads directly off the motorway, you will normally leave the motorway by a slip road on your left. You sho...
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Rule 274
Rule 274
On leaving the motorway or using a link road between motorways, your speed may be higher than you realise - 50 mph may feel like 30 mph. Che...
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Rule 275
Rule 275
If you need to stop your vehicle in the event of a breakdown or incident, try to stop in a place of relative safety. A place of relative saf...
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Rule 276
Rule 276
If your vehicle breaks down, think first of all other road users and
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Rule 277
Rule 277
If your vehicle develops a problem, leave the carriageway at the next exit or pull into a service area if possible (see Rule 275 for places ...
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Rule 278
Rule 278
To rejoin the carriageway after a breakdown from
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Rule 279
Rule 279
Disabled drivers. If you have a disability that prevents you from following the above advice in Rules 277 and 278, you should
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Rule 280
Rule 280
If anything falls from a vehicle on to a motorway or other high-speed road, DO NOT remove the obstruction yourself. Stop in a place of relat...
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Rule 281
Rule 281
Warning signs or flashing lights. If you see emergency or incident support vehicles displaying flashing lights in the distance, be aware the...
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Rule 282
Rule 282
When passing the scene of an incident, remain alert for hazards (such as debris or slow-moving vehicles) and do not slow down unnecessarily ...
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Rule 283
Rule 283
If you are involved in an incident or collision or stop to give assistance
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Rule 284
Rule 284
Vehicles carrying dangerous goods in packages will be marked with plain orange reflective plates. Road tankers and vehicles carrying tank co...
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Rule 285
Rule 285
If an incident involves a vehicle containing dangerous goods, follow the advice in Rule 283 and, in particular
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Rule 286
Rule 286
If you are involved in a collision which causes damage or injury to any other person, vehicle, animal or property, you MUST
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Rule 287
Rule 287
If another person is injured and you do not produce your insurance certificate at the time of the crash to a police officer or to anyone hav...
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Rule 288
Rule 288
When the ‘Road Works Ahead’ sign is displayed, take extra care and look for additional signs providing more specific instructions. Obser...
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Rule 289
Rule 289
Take special care on motorways and other high-speed dual carriageways.
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Rule 290
Rule 290
Road works may contain features that require extra care.
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Rule 291
Rule 291
A level crossing is where a road crosses a railway or tramway line. Approach and cross it with care. Never drive onto a crossing until the r...
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Rule 292
Rule 292
Overhead electric lines. It is dangerous to touch overhead electric lines. You MUST obey the safe height warning road signs and you should n...
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Rule 293
Rule 293
Controlled Crossings. Most crossings have traffic light signals with a steady amber light, twin flashing red stop lights (see ‘Light signa...
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Rule 294
Rule 294
Railway telephones. If you are driving a large or slow- moving vehicle, a long, low vehicle with a risk of grounding, or herding animals, a ...
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Rule 295
Rule 295
Crossings without traffic lights. Vehicles should stop and wait at the barrier or gate when it begins to close and not cross until the barri...
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Rule 296
Rule 296
User-operated gates or barriers. Some crossings have ‘Stop’ signs and small red and green lights. You MUST NOT cross when the red light ...
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Rule 297
Rule 297
If there are no lights, follow the procedure in Rule 296. Stop, look both ways and listen before you cross. If there is a railway telephone,...
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