When was the first Highway Code published in Britain?

Answer 1

This year, the Highway Code first published in 1931, celebrates its 75th anniversary.

Answer 2

Ironically, the Highway Code was originally the brainchild of someone more concerned with the growing field of aviation, than the more prosaic matter of the motor car. Mervyn O'Gorman, considered one of Britain's greatest aeronautical designers following work at the Royal Aircraft Factory at Farnborough during the Second World War, was, in the late 1920's, a member of the Royal Automobile Club's motoring committee; he later became vice-president of the Club.

By this time, the growing popularity of motoring had led to more than 2.3 million cars on the road, which were causing a record 7,000 deaths among the population. Although cars had been around in increasing numbers since the 1890's very little had been done to legislate or control their use and the Government was under pressure to act.

In 1930, it introduced the Road Traffic Act, which, for the first time, set out a variety of speed limits for different classes of vehicle. At the same time, RAC members led by O'Gorman, conceived a simple code for all road users, giving a series of essential do's and don'ts.

The Government took up the idea and the first edition, written in the brisk officialese, sold for just one old penny. It contained just 18 pages of basic advice - compared to almost 100 in the current version.

Much of the guide was given over to hand signals, then considered to be the primary issue for road users in the days before indicators were universal: "Extend the right arm and hand, with the palm turned to the front and hold them rigid in a horizontal position straight out from the off side of the vehicle" was the advice when turning right. There was also a section devoted to horse-drawn vehicles, including advice on how to rotate a whip above your head to indicate which direction the vehicle was about to turn.

Today, with more than 27 million cars, the number of deaths is under half of that 7,000. While changes in laws, technology and British Summer Time must also have played their part, the Highway Code, by raising public awareness of the dangers of driving, can probably be said to have saved millions, of lives.

Answer 3

1931

Answer 4

It must pre-date the Romans with their roads
and prescribed widths.

Since widely publishing it would have required
moveable type, the first
publication was probably shortly after
Guttenberg's printing press.

Answer 5

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