New Highway Code laws came into effect on January 29, giving more rights to pedestrians at junctions and encouraging motorists to be more conscious of people travelling on foot.
These new rules for drivers regard cyclists, horses and pedestrians, shifting priority in a number of situations to the latter.
One of the most controversial changes is that drivers must now give way to pedestrians waiting to cross or crossing at a junction.
Some drivers fear it will encourage pedestrians to walk dangerously into the road, while others have praised it for encouraging drivers to be more cautious around pedestrians.
Nine sections of the code were updated, with 50 rules added or amended - but how many drivers are following the new rules? Cornwall Live reporter, Edward Church put drivers to the test at a Truro junction.
Here are Edward's findings:
The section of road at hand is the turning between Ferris Town, St George’s Road and Frances Street by Workbox and the Old Cheese Shop café.
A common place for near-misses - from experience - I figured this would be a perfect place to do a very scientific test of the new Highway Code rules.
Like any good experimenter, I started by observing.
Watching from the opposite side of the road, it took a while (it was a Tuesday afternoon in February) but eventually I saw a pedestrian looking around to cross from the café.
A car came down from Richmond Hill, left-turn indicator lighting up, and I waited for it to stop, as per the rules. It, however, didn’t - and drove on past the pedestrian without a care in the world as he was about to step out into the road.
One instance of someone not obeying the rules is one thing, but I wasn’t done.
It was my turn, so I sauntered up to the well-visible edge of the junction by Workbox and theatrically looked left and right with two vans indicating into the St George’s Road.
I put a foot out onto the road but they both drove in anyway, which is a clear breach of the new Highway Code rules.
I went back the other way, and another van did the same.
Giving the drivers the benefit of the doubt (perhaps it was just this junction?), I went along the road to another junction which leads to Truro Crown Court.
Again, no luck. Not a single car waited for me when I was waiting to cross the road.
Perhaps they disagree with the new rules, or haven’t seen them.
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