:: press release ::

NEW HIGHWAY CODE GUIDELINES WELCOMED

East Antrim MLA Alastair Ross has welcomed the latest Highway Code to be released by the Department of Environment. It will offer advice to new motorists on becoming accustomed to our roads as well as being made available in a number of languages.

Mr Ross said,

“The Highway Code is vital reading for all road users and this latest publication provides the information needed for further understanding of the rules of the road and road safety.

The statistics surrounding road traffic accidents (RTAs) and deaths caused on our roads are not demonstrative of good driving practices. We all share the responsibility of improving road safety and keeping abreast of new legislation and rules, which are applicable here in Northern Ireland, is imperative to minimise RTAs. Such legislation includes the use of mobile phones whilst driving and smoking in work-owned vehicles.

I welcome the introduction of guidelines for new drivers to help them into their first few months as restricted drivers. I have championed Graduated Driving Licence Scheme proposals to ensure that new drivers in particular would benefit from a thorough learner driver experience in order to prepare them for being on the road without their driving instructor.

To also have the Highway Code now available in other languages is a step in the right direction to help those in our community whose first language is not English. In Northern Ireland we have seen an influx of migrant workers who must also have a good knowledge of the rules of our roads and this will undoubtedly be a helpful tool. It will be made available in Polish, Lithuanian, Mandarin and Portuguese.

Road safety needs to be taken seriously and we must ensure that we all play our part in familiarising ourselves with the Highway Code.”