• Greater awareness of the safety initiative ‘slow down and move over’ needed to prevent deaths and serious injuries on the road network at temporary hazards.
• A call for current Government information on how to drive on Smart motorways to also be added to the Highway Code

The next update of the Highway Code should include safety advice to motorists for when they are approaching a temporary hazard on the road network, a letter from SURVIVE Group to Jesse Norman MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport, has requested.

A temporary hazard can be in various forms such as broken down vehicles, roadside breakdown / recovery vehicles, emergency service vehicles, road maintenance vehicles or indeed any roadside workers. Thousands of collisions happen every year, due to drivers not slowing down and moving over as they come near to a temporary Hazard.

The SURVIVE Group recommends that ‘slow down and move over’ advice needs to be included in the Highway Code to prevent more needless deaths and injuries on the UK’s roads.

In light of the proliferation of Smart Motorways SURVIVE Group would also like to see the same advice on how to drive on Smart Motorways currently already available to the public via the www.GOV.UK  web site to also be included in the next edition of the Highway Code.

Rob Gifford Chairman of SURVIVE Group, said: “Our road infrastructure is changing and we believe the Highway Code needs to change too. Those who end up stranded by the roadside or who work on the roads such as, the breakdown recovery industry, emergency services or the road maintenance industry are becoming more and more vulnerable. It is important to increase road users’ awareness of what to do when approaching a temporary hazard, not just for their own safety but for other road users as well.”

As well suitable safety advice being included within the Highway Code, the SURVIVE Group also wishes to be included in any consultation process that may be considered in the future.

Ends

Notes to editors

The SURVIVE Group is a partnership between Highways England, the National Police Chiefs' Council, the breakdown/recovery industry and other service providers. The SURVIVE Group has been established to improve the safety of those who work on the road network and the travelling public and is also dedicated to the promotion of driving safety.
For more information

Rob Gifford
Chairman SURVIVE Group

robert@giffordpartnership.co.uk