The Highway Code is regularly reviewed and updated, and as a learner driver, staying current with the rules isn’t optional — it’s directly tested. Examiners assess your driving against the Highway Code as it currently stands, not as it was when your older siblings or parents learned to drive.
This guide covers the most significant Highway Code updates that affect learner drivers in Glasgow today, along with practical advice on how to apply them on test day and beyond.
Why This Matters for Learners Specifically
If you’re learning to drive now, you don’t have old habits to unlearn — which is actually an advantage. Building the current rules into your driving from lesson one means they become instinct rather than something to consciously remember. Experienced drivers who passed years ago often have to actively retrain themselves; as a learner, you simply learn it right the first time.
The Hierarchy of Road Users
One of the most significant changes to the Highway Code in recent years introduced the concept of a “hierarchy of road users.” This places greater responsibility on those who can cause the most harm in a collision — meaning drivers of larger, heavier vehicles bear more responsibility for the safety of pedestrians, cyclists, and other vulnerable road users.
In practical terms for a learner, this hierarchy shows up in several specific rules:
Giving Way to Pedestrians at Junctions
If a pedestrian is waiting to cross at a junction you’re turning into, you must give way to them — even if they haven’t stepped into the road yet. This is a notable shift from older assumptions, and it’s one examiners watch closely. Anticipating a pedestrian’s intention to cross, rather than waiting for them to commit to stepping out, is now part of safe, test-ready driving.
Not Cutting Across Cyclists
When turning left, or navigating a roundabout, you must not cut across a cyclist who is going straight ahead. If a cyclist is in the lane you intend to turn through, you need to wait for a safe gap rather than turning across their path. This applies whether the cyclist is in a dedicated cycle lane or sharing the main carriageway.
Overtaking Distances for Cyclists
When overtaking a cyclist, you should leave at least 1.5 metres of space at speeds up to 30mph, increasing that distance further at higher speeds. On Glasgow’s narrower residential streets, this often means waiting behind a cyclist until it’s genuinely safe to pass with adequate space — rather than squeezing by with minimal clearance.
The Dutch Reach
The Dutch Reach is a technique now featured in the Highway Code for safely exiting a parked car. Instead of opening your door with the hand nearest to it, you use your far hand — so if you’re in the driver’s seat of a right-hand drive car, that means opening the door with your left hand.
This small change forces your body to twist towards the door, which naturally turns your head and shoulders towards the wing mirror and the road behind — making you far more likely to spot an approaching cyclist or pedestrian before you open the door into their path. It’s a simple habit to build, and one worth practising consciously during lessons until it becomes automatic.
Mobile Phone Use While Driving
The rules around mobile phones have been tightened significantly in recent years, closing loopholes that previously existed. It is illegal to hold and use a mobile phone or similar device while driving for almost any reason — including when stationary in traffic or at a red light — with very limited exceptions, such as making a contactless payment at a drive-through while parked.
For learners, this rule is absolute. Examiners will fail a test outright if a phone is handled during the test, and for good reason — it’s one of the most significant distractions a driver can introduce. If your phone is in the car during lessons or your test, it should be fully out of reach and on silent.
Changes to How You Book Your Driving Test
Alongside the rules of the road itself, the DVSA has also introduced changes to how driving tests are booked. Learners are now required to manage their own test bookings directly, rather than relying on instructors or third-party booking services to do this on their behalf. This change was introduced to reduce unfair advantages in the booking system and make test slots more fairly available to genuine candidates.
If you do need to cancel or reschedule a test, current guidance requires giving sufficient working days’ notice — leaving things to the last minute can mean losing your test fee. It’s worth checking the current DVSA guidance directly when you book, as these administrative rules are updated periodically.
Smart Motorways
While most learner driving takes place away from motorways, the Highway Code’s guidance on smart motorways is worth understanding, particularly as you’ll need it once you’re driving independently. Never drive in a lane marked with a red X, always obey variable speed limits shown on overhead signs, and if you break down, aim for an emergency refuge area where available. If you can’t reach one, move to the verge, put your hazard lights on, and call for help immediately rather than remaining in a live lane.
How MRA Driving Academy Keeps You Current
At MRA Driving Academy, every lesson reflects the current Highway Code — not an outdated version of the rules. Our DVSA-approved instructors build these rules into your driving naturally from your very first lesson, so by the time you reach test day, the current hierarchy of road users, correct overtaking distances, and safe habits like the Dutch Reach feel completely instinctive rather than something you’re consciously trying to remember.
With 90-minute lessons and instruction available in English, Urdu, and Punjabi, we make sure every learner properly understands not just what the rules are, but why they exist — which is what genuinely safe, test-ready driving looks like.
Stay Ahead of the Rules
The Highway Code will continue to evolve, and the best way to stay current is to learn with an instructor who keeps pace with every update. MRA Driving Academy’s 95% first-time pass rate reflects lessons built around exactly what today’s examiners are looking for.
View our lesson prices or get in touch today to book lessons that keep you fully up to date and ready to pass.