Driving: English Vocabulary List

an institute that teaches people how to drive

"Driving school is helpful."

"She enrolled in driving school to prepare for her license test because she needed professional instruction to feel confident behind the wheel."

the numbers and letters on the plates at the front and back of a vehicle

"The license number is printed here."

"The police officer wrote down the driver's license number and the vehicle's plate number before issuing a ticket for speeding."

any type of vehicle that is powered by an engine

"A car is a motor vehicle."

"All motor vehicles must be registered with the state and display valid license plates at all times."

a strap that keeps a person attached to their seat to prevent injuries, especially in cars, etc.

"The safety belt is fastened."

"He fastened his safety belt before starting the car and reminded his passengers to do the same because it was required by law."

a pipe through which harmful gasses exit from a car

"The tailpipe is dirty."

"Smoke poured from the car's tailpipe as the old engine struggled to start on the cold winter morning."

a circular rubber object that covers the wheel of a vehicle

"The tire is flat."

"She changed the tire by the roadside."

a light on a vehicle that blinks to indicate a change in lane

"The turn signal is on."

"He used the turn signal before turning left."

the large front window of a vehicle

"The windshield is cracked."

"Rain hit the windshield all the way home."

a long and thin device with rubber on its edge, designed to move across the glass at the front of vehicles to clear it of rain, snow, etc. so that the driver can see the road properly

"The windshield wiper moved fast."

"The windshield wipers cleared the heavy rain from the glass, allowing the driver to see the road."

a curve in a road, river, etc.

"The road makes a sharp bend ahead."

"The sharp bend in the road had a warning sign but many drivers still took the turn too fast."

the place where two or more streets, roads, etc. cross each other

"The intersection is dangerous."

"The intersection had heavy traffic at noon."

a turn that a car, etc. makes to move toward the direction it was coming from

"The driver made a U-turn."

"The driver made an illegal U-turn in the middle of the street and almost caused a collision with an oncoming car."

a satellite system that shows a place, thing, or person's exact position using signals

"My phone has a global positioning system."

"My phone has a global positioning system so I never get lost while driving."

a time of day at which traffic is the heaviest because people are leaving for work or home

"Rush hour is stressful."

"Traffic is worst during rush hour."

the traffic offence of driving faster than is legally allowed

"Speeding is dangerous."

"The police officer pulled him over for speeding and issued a ticket because he was driving twenty miles per hour over the legal limit."

to slow down or stop a moving car, etc. by using the brakes

"You must brake at red lights."

"You should brake gently when approaching a red light to avoid stopping suddenly and causing an accident."

to leave a place, vehicle, etc.

"We exit the building now."

"Please exit the building calmly and quickly when you hear the fire alarm ringing loudly."

to move or act very quickly

"Do not rush through your homework."

"There is no need to rush through your homework because accuracy is more important than finishing quickly in this case."

to decrease the speed of something

"Please slow the car."

"The driver had to slow down significantly because of the heavy rain and poor visibility on the road."

the wheel that a driver holds or turns to make a vehicle move in different directions

"The steering wheel is leather."

"He held the steering wheel carefully on the icy road."

a bar in front of a motorcycle or bicycle that a person takes by hand to control the direction in which they want to travel

"The bicycle handlebar was loose and needed tightening."

"The motorcycle's handlebar was bent in the accident so the rider had to replace it before riding again."

an area on a road that is marked with wide white lines, where vehicles must stop so people could walk across the road safely

"The zebra crossing is clear."

"We walked across the zebra crossing near the school."

a handle in a car or other vehicle, by which a driver can change gears

"The gearshift is smooth."

"He moved the gearshift from park to drive and slowly pressed the gas pedal to pull out of the parking space."

an aggressive behavior that is seen among drivers, particularly when they are stuck in traffic

"Road rage is dangerous."

"The driver's road rage caused him to follow the other car for several miles and confront the driver in a parking lot."

a bar that is attached to the back and front of a vehicle to reduce damage in time of an accident

"The bumper absorbs low-speed impacts."

"The bumper absorbs low speed impacts and is made of plastic and foam."

a brake that is operated by hand to hold a vehicle in place

"The emergency brake works."

"He pulled the emergency brake to stop the car quickly."

a metal part that covers the engine of a vehicle

"Open the car hood."

"He had to lift the hood to check the engine oil level before the long journey."

a flat piece of metal at the front and back of a vehicle displaying numbers and letters

"Show me the plate."

"The license plate on the stolen vehicle was easily identifiable by the authorities."

a container that holds the fuel of a vehicle, etc.

"The tank is full."

"He filled the tank before the trip."

the space at the back of an automobile in which different things can be put

"Put it in the trunk."

"She packed all the luggage securely in the trunk before heading to the airport."

an accident in which a vehicle, plane, etc. hits something else

"The crash was serious."

"The car crash involved three vehicles and closed the highway for two hours while police investigated the cause of the accident."

the place where two streets or roads cross each other

"The crossing is busy."

"Use the crossing to get to the other side."

(of a vehicle) to come to a stop

"He pulls up to the red light."

"A black car pulled up next to us at the traffic light and the driver rolled down his window."

to choose the direction of and guide a vehicle, ship, etc., especially by using a map

"We will navigate now."

"The experienced captain could expertly navigate the ship through the treacherous, fog-bound waters."

to provide energy or power for a vehicle, etc.

"Drivers fuel their cars at stations."

"The plane needs to fuel up before the long transatlantic flight to New York City tonight."

forward movement or movement toward somewhere

"There was good progress."

"Despite facing numerous challenges, the team made significant progress towards completing the project on schedule."

the red light at the back of a vehicle that lits up when brakes are used to signal stopping or slowing down to other drivers

"The stoplight is red."

"He slammed on his brakes, causing his stoplight to illuminate brightly and warn the car behind him."