1 million copies of the
official Highway Code sold - have you got a copy of this life saver?
DRIVING STANDARDS
AGENCY News Release (DSA 06/09) issued by COI News Distribution
Service. 20 January 2008
* Highway Code
hits Million mark
* Life Saving book not just for learners, but all drivers
* Code No 1 non-fiction paperback in 2008
1 Million copies of The Official Highway Code (2007 edition) have
been sold in the UK - are you one of the other 33 million UK road
users without this life saving book?*
The Driving Standards Agency is proud to announce record sales of
the 2007 edition of The Official Highway Code. 1 million copies
sold in 15 months compared to the previous 2004 edition which sold
1 million copies in 20 months. The Bookseller Magazine has also
recorded this latest edition as the No1 best selling non-fiction
paperback for 2008!
January sees the launch of a national media campaign promoting
The Official Highway Code to all road users, including learner
drivers and experienced motorists. A TV advert will be appearing
across a broad range of channels including TV, online, shopping
malls and retail outlets to help celebrate the 1 millionth copy sold.
The Official Highway Code is for life, not just for learners. All
road users - whether car drivers, motorcyclists, fleet drivers,
transport managers, cyclists or pedestrians - need to ensure they
are up-to-date to help reduce road casualties in 2009. Get your
copy of the Code today for only £2.50!
Rosemary Thew, DSA Chief Executive, said: "It is essential
that all motorists refresh their knowledge of the rules and signs
of the roads time and time again. The volume of sales is
encouraging. But we still need to do more to reduce the number of
casualties on our roads. We all have a responsibility to observe
the Highway Code and drive appropriately and every road user needs
to take road safety seriously. "
The Official Highway Code was first launched in 1931. This best
selling latest edition, published 28 September 2007, contains the
very latest rules as well as information on road signs, road
markings, license requirements and vehicle maintenance, many of
which are legal requirements which if not observed risk penalty.
The Official Highway Code is published by TSO (The Stationery
Office Ltd), DSA's official publishing partner. It is now
more convenient than ever to get up-to-date with The Official
Highway Code as it is available in book, interactive CD-ROM and
British Sign Language DVD formats and can be purchased from all
good High Street or online bookstores, or direct from TSO: Web: http://www.tsoshop.co.uk/highwaycode
Tel: 0870 243 0123 Textphone: 0870 240 3701
How well do you know The Official Highway Code 2007 edition?
(Answers below)
Q1. What are Home Zones and Quiet Lanes?
NOTES TO EDITORS
For further information contact Michael Watkinson at the Driving
Standards Agency (DSA) Press Office on 0115 936 6136.
1. The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) is an executive agency * of
the Department for Transport.
2. The DSA's vision is "Safe Driving for Life"
with an overall mission to contribute towards a Government target
of achieving a 40% reduction in riders and drivers killed or
seriously injured in road accidents, in the age group up to 24
years, by 2010.
3. Current information on road casualties is available from the
Department for Transport website: http://www.dft.gov.uk
4. The Agency's aim is to promote road safety through
setting standards for drivers, riders and trainers, testing
drivers and riders fairly and efficiently, maintaining the
registers of Approved Driving Instructors; Large Goods Vehicle
Instructors; Fleet Trainers; Driving Instructor Trainers and Post
Test Motorcycle Trainers; supervising Compulsory Basic Training
(CBT) for learner motorcyclists; and driver education and the
provision of learning resources.
5. DSA is a trading fund * with an expected turnover of around
£199 million for the year 2008/9, fully funded by fee income and
revenue from its activities.
6. DSA employs over 2,700 staff, of which some 2,000 are driving
examiners based at over 400 test centres across mainland Great
Britain. In 2007/2008 the Agency conducted 1.8 million practical
tests for car drivers, over 95,000 vocational tests and 94,000
motorcycle rider tests. A total of 1.7 million theory tests were
carried out at 158 centres. At the end of the year there were
around 43,600 people on the Register of Approved Driving Instructors.
7. DSA was one of the first Government Agencies to introduce an
online booking service. Candidates can book and manage their
theory and practical test appointments on line at http://www.direct.gov.uk/drivingtest
8. *1 million copies sold by TSO
9. Answers to Highway Code questions:
Q1) Areas where people could be using the whole of the road for a
range of activities
* Executive agency:
An executive agency is semi-detached from its parent department
and manages its own budget with freedom from ad hoc, day to day
intervention and much of central, government-wide regulation. They
are run under the organisation and direction of a Chief Executive
recruited through open competition. An executive agency has
accountability for the performance of specific operational tasks
as a corporate unit, including focused performance targets set by
the parent department and personal accountability of the chief
executive for performance.
* Trading Fund:
A trading fund is a means of financing trading activities
undertaken by Government that would previously have been financed
by annual appropriation from Parliament. A trading fund permits
the establishment of a self-accounting unit that remains under the
control and management of Ministers and accountable to Parliament
through Ministers, but has greater freedom to manage its financial
affairs. Effectively that means the trading fund body can use its
income to settle its liabilities and retain year-end cash balances.
Establishing the trading fund does not alter the Agency's
constitutional position and it remains part of the Department for Transport.