Highway Code Celebrates 90th Birthday

22 May 2021

Did you know that it has been 90 years since the Highway Code was first published?

A recent blog post by Heritage Calling celebrated the 90th anniversary of the Highway Code by looking back at its evolution. 

In case you want to expand your trivia knowledge, here are a handful of ‘fun facts’ from Heritage Calling about the Highway Code: 

• The first Highway Code was published in 1931.
• There were 2.3 million motor vehicles on British roads at the time of publication – at which time there were around 7,000 deaths from road traffic accidents (comparative with 1,870 in 2019 with 40 million vehicles on the road).
• A 20 MPH speed limit for built-up areas was amended to 30 MPH in 1934 after it was ‘universally flouted’ and the volume of court cases became overwhelming.
• The second edition of the Highway Code displayed just 10 road traffic signs.
• England’s first motorway (the 8-mile Preston bypass, now part of the M6) was opened in 1958, by then Prime Minister Harold Macmillan.
• The first motorway speed limit (70 MPH) was introduced in 1965, before which time motorists were allowed to drive as fast as they wished and ‘Doing the ton’ (100mph) was considered a ‘badge of honour’.
• The modern Highway Code sells around 1 million copies annually and is always listed as an annual best-seller.

You can read the full article here.

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Image credit: Heritage Calling.

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