The hierarchy of road users

By the end of this topic you can

• You can explain what the hierarchy of road users means and why it exists.
• You can describe what rules H1, H2 and H3 ask of drivers.
• You can give way to pedestrians at junctions and on zebra and parallel crossings.
• You can avoid cutting across cyclists, horse riders and horse-drawn vehicles when turning.
• You can apply the hierarchy in everyday decisions, not just when a rule tells you to.

What you need to know and understand

• Pedestrians are at the top of the hierarchy. Cyclists, horse riders and motorcyclists are also among the road users most likely to be injured in a collision.
• Children, older adults and disabled people are at greater risk.
• Drivers of large goods and passenger vehicles, vans, cars, taxis and motorcycles have the greatest responsibility.
• Rule H1 says all road users should be considerate and take responsibility for the safety of others.
• Rule H2 says drivers should give way to pedestrians crossing or waiting to cross a road they are turning into or out of.
• Under rule H2 you must give way to pedestrians on a zebra crossing, and to pedestrians and cyclists on a parallel crossing.
• Rule H3 says drivers should not cut across cyclists, horse riders or horse-drawn vehicles going ahead when turning or changing direction or lane.
• Everyone is still expected to behave responsibly, including pedestrians and cyclists.

The three H rules in plain English

• H1, for everyone: know the Highway Code, be considerate, and remember that some people have hidden impairments to their sight, hearing or mobility.
• H2, mainly for drivers and riders: at a junction, give way to people crossing or waiting to cross the road you are turning into or out of. Pedestrians also have priority on zebra and parallel crossings, and at light-controlled crossings when they have a green signal.
• H3, for drivers and motorcyclists: when you turn or change lane, do not cut across a cyclist, horse rider or horse-drawn vehicle going ahead. Do not turn if they would have to stop or swerve. Wait for a safe gap.

What changes on a real drive

Before 2022, many drivers expected pedestrians at a side road to wait for them. Now, if someone is waiting to cross the road you are turning into, you should let them go first. Look into the new road early so you can slow down in time.

H3 applies on the road itself and in cycle lanes and cycle tracks. If a cyclist is coming up on your left as you prepare to turn left, wait for them. The same applies when a cyclist is passing slow or stationary traffic, going round a roundabout, or moving off from a junction.

Responsibility, not a free pass

The hierarchy does not mean people higher up can ignore the rules. Pedestrians should still cross carefully, and cyclists should still give way to pedestrians on shared paths and to horse riders on bridleways. The point is that the more harm your vehicle could do, the more care you must take. In a car, that usually means slowing down, waiting and looking more.

Common mistakes

• Turning into a side road while a pedestrian is waiting to cross it. Give way to them.
• Overtaking a cyclist and turning left straight in front of them. Stay behind.
• Thinking the hierarchy only applies at crossings. It applies everywhere you drive.
• Assuming cyclists in a cycle lane will stop for you at a junction. Give way to them.
• Waving pedestrians across instead of simply waiting. A clear, patient stop is safer.

Test yourself: The hierarchy of road users

Answer each question, then read the explanation. Questions come in a random order each time.

Go deeper

• Hierarchy of Road Users in GB