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Highway Code · Rule 242

Highway Code Rule 242

Waiting and parking (238 to 252). A legal requirement (MUST / MUST NOT).

  • Waiting and parking
  • Legal requirement
  • OGL v3.0

What the rule says

Law · MUST

Rule 242 (Parking (rules 239 to 247)) You MUST NOT leave your vehicle or trailer in a dangerous position or where it causes any unnecessary obstruction of the road. Laws RTA 1988 sect 22 & CUR reg 103

Rule 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 242 comes down to one idea: rule 242 (Parking (rules 239 to 247)) You MUST NOT leave your vehicle or trailer in a dangerous position or where it causes any unnecessary obstruction of the road. Because it is written with “MUST” or “MUST NOT”, it carries the force of law, ignore it and you are committing an offence, not simply driving badly.

It belongs to the waiting and parking 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 waiting and parking part of the Code starts to feel like common sense rather than a list to revise.

Because this is a legal rule, the consequences of ignoring it reach beyond the test: a “MUST” or “MUST NOT” breach can mean a fixed penalty, points on your licence, or in serious cases prosecution. 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 242 matters on the road

Stopping and parking badly creates hazards for everyone, blocking sightlines, forcing others into the path of oncoming traffic, or trapping pedestrians. Doing it cleanly keeps the road flowing and prevents the close calls that careless parking causes.

Common faults examiners record

In the waiting and parking 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:

  • Insufficient observation during the reversing manoeuvre.
  • Finishing the manoeuvre poorly positioned or too far from the kerb.
  • Moving off afterwards without a proper all-round check.

On the day

Picture the examiner asking for a manoeuvre. Applying Rule 242 means choosing a safe, legal spot, taking all-round observation before and during the exercise, and finishing tidily positioned. The manoeuvre itself matters less than the observation and control you show around it.

Quick checklist

  • Pick a safe, legal place to stop or manoeuvre.
  • Take all-round observation before and during the exercise.
  • Check fully again before you move off.

More from Waiting and parking

Related Highway Code rules

Rule 242, your questions

Rule 242 (Parking (rules 239 to 247)) You MUST NOT leave your vehicle or trailer in a dangerous position or where it causes any unnecessary obstruction of the road. It is a legal requirement, it uses “MUST” or “MUST NOT”, so breaking it is a criminal offence that can mean a fine, penalty points, or disqualification.

DriveRoutes is an independent study aid and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA).