Rule 233 (Windy weather (rules 232 to 233)) In very windy weather your vehicle may be affected by turbulence created by large vehicles. Motorcyclists are particularly affected, so keep well back from them when they are overtaking a high-sided vehicle.
Highway Code · Rule 233
Highway Code Rule 233
Driving in adverse weather conditions (226 to 237). Advisory guidance you are expected to follow.
- Driving in adverse weather conditions
- Advisory rule
- OGL v3.0
What the rule says
AdvisoryRule text reproduced verbatim from the official Highway Code (Crown copyright) under the Open Government Licence v3.0, see the attribution at the foot of this page.
In plain English
Stripped of the formal wording, Rule 233 comes down to one idea: rule 233 (Windy weather (rules 232 to 233)) In very windy weather your vehicle may be affected by turbulence created by large vehicles. It is advice rather than law, but examiners and the courts still treat it as the expected standard of safe driving.
It belongs to the driving in adverse weather conditions part of the Code, the habits a confident, considerate driver builds until they are automatic. The aim is not to memorise the sentence word for word, but to understand the hazard it protects you from, so you apply it without having to think when it counts.
If you are learning, treat this rule as one piece of a connected set rather than an isolated fact. The related rules below sit in the same section and reinforce each other, reading them together is how the driving in adverse weather conditions part of the Code starts to feel like common sense rather than a list to revise.
Because this is advisory rather than legal, no one will fine you for the rule alone, but ignoring it can still count against you in a careless-driving case, and it will cost you faults on the test. Either way, the safe move is to build the habit early, while a driving instructor can correct it, rather than relearning it under test pressure. That is exactly what the practice routes and coaching in the DriveRoutes app are designed to help with, turning the rules below into the way you naturally drive.
Why rule 233 matters on the road
Rain, fog, ice and low sun change how your car behaves and how far you can see. Adjusting early, before you actually need the extra space, is what keeps a tricky drive uneventful rather than dangerous.
Common faults examiners record
In the driving in adverse weather conditions part of the Code, the faults most often written on the marking sheet tend to be the same handful. Knowing them in advance is the quickest way to drive them out of your own habits:
- Carrying too much speed for the visibility or grip.
- Forgetting to use, or switch off, lights as conditions change.
- Following too closely when stopping distances have grown.
On the day
Picture the road surface darkening with rain mid-test. Applying Rule 233 means easing your speed, lengthening your following distance and using lights appropriately, adjusting before the conditions force your hand rather than after.
Quick checklist
- Match your speed to what you can actually see and feel.
- Use the right lights for the conditions.
- Leave a bigger gap whenever grip or visibility drops.
More from Driving in adverse weather conditions
Related Highway Code rules
- Rule 232Highway Code Rule 232Rule 232 (Windy weather (rules 232 to 233)) High-sided vehicles are most affected by windy weather, but strong gusts can also blow a car, cyclist, motorcyclist or horse rider off course.
- Rule 234Highway Code Rule 234Rule 234 (Fog (rules 234 to 236)) Before entering fog check your mirrors then slow down.
- Rule 231Highway Code Rule 231Rule 231 (Icy and snowy weather (rules 228 to 231)) Drive extremely carefully when the roads are icy.
- Rule 235Highway Code Rule 235Rule 235 (Fog (rules 234 to 236)) When driving in fog you should - use your lights as required (see Rule 226) - keep a safe distance behind the vehicle in front.
- Rule 230Highway Code Rule 230Rule 230 (Icy and snowy weather (rules 228 to 231)) When driving in icy or snowy weather - drive with care, even if the roads have been treated - keep well back from the road user in front as stoppin…
- Rule 236Highway Code Rule 236Rule 236 (Fog (rules 234 to 236)) You MUST NOT use front or rear fog lights unless visibility is seriously reduced (see Rule 226) as they dazzle other road users and can obscure your brake lights.
Rule 233, your questions
Rule 233 (Windy weather (rules 232 to 233)) In very windy weather your vehicle may be affected by turbulence created by large vehicles. It is advisory guidance rather than law, but you are still expected to follow it and an examiner can mark a fault if you do not.
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