What is the name of the official UK guide that explains road signs, markings and driving rules?
Answer
The Highway Code
The official UK guide that explains road signs, markings, and driving rules is The Highway Code.
The Highway Code is a collection of advice, rules, and legal requirements for road users in Great Britain. It covers drivers, motorcyclists, cyclists, horse riders, pedestrians, and other people using roads. Its guidance includes road signs, lane discipline, junctions, overtaking, parking, vulnerable road users, and vehicle safety.
The first edition was published in 1931, when Britain’s roads were becoming busier and a common explanation of traffic rules was increasingly useful. Later editions expanded with new signs, technologies, road designs, and legal changes. The modern code is available online as well as in printed form.
Not every sentence in The Highway Code has the same legal status. Some rules are backed by legislation, while advisory wording may not itself create an offence. However, failing to follow relevant rules can be used as evidence in legal proceedings. This is why readers should distinguish “must” requirements from advisory guidance.