Road Travel & Transportation: Essential Vocabulary
Road Travel & Transportation Vocabulary
A comprehensive list of terms related to road travel and transportation:
- A-road: A main road.
- Alley: A narrow street or passage between buildings.
- Alternative route: A different way to reach a destination.
- Aqueduct: A structure carrying water over a valley or river.
- Anti-clockwise: In the opposite direction to the hands of a clock.
- Apply: To put something into effect.
- Attendant: A person employed to provide a service.
- Avenue: A wide street or road.
- B-road: A minor road.
- Back-seat driver: A passenger who gives unwanted advice to the driver.
- Bald tire: A tire with worn-out tread.
- Ban: To prohibit or forbid.
- Be knocked off something: To be hit and fall from a vehicle.
- Bike: A bicycle or motorcycle.
- Blind corner: A corner where visibility is limited.
- Bonnet: The hood of a car.
- Bottlenecks: A place where traffic slows down.
- Breach of traffic regulations: Violating traffic laws.
- Breathalyser: A device for measuring alcohol in breath.
- Bridge: A structure carrying a road or railway across a river, road, etc.
- Bumper: A horizontal bar fixed across the front or rear of a motor vehicle to reduce damage in a collision.
- Bus network: A system of bus routes.
- Bypass: A road that avoids a town or city.
- Car-sharing programmes: Arrangements where people share the use of a car.
- Careless driving: Driving without due care and attention.
- Carriageway: The part of a road used by vehicles.
- Central reservation: The area separating opposing lanes of traffic.
- Clamped: Fitted with a metal device to prevent movement.
- Clockwise: In the same direction as the hands of a clock.
- Collide with: To crash into.
- Collision: An instance of one moving object or person striking violently against another.
- Commuter route: A route used regularly by people traveling to work.
- Commuter town: A town where many residents travel to work in a nearby city.
- Commuter train: A train used by commuters.
- Congestion: Overcrowding; excessive traffic.
- Congestion charge: A fee for driving in a congested area.
- Conk out: (Informal) To stop working suddenly.
- Contraflow: Traffic moving in the opposite direction to normal.
- Country lane: A narrow road in the countryside.
- Crash barrier: A barrier designed to prevent vehicles from crossing into opposing lanes of traffic.
- Cross paths with: To meet or encounter someone.
- Crumple: To collapse or crush.
- Cul-de-sac: A street or passage closed at one end.
- Cycle: To ride a bicycle.
- Cycle lane: A lane reserved for cyclists.
- Cycle network: A system of cycle routes.
- Dangerous: Likely to cause harm or damage.
- Dashboard: The panel facing the driver of a vehicle.
- Decelerate: To reduce speed.
- Dent a car: To cause a slight hollow in the surface of a car.
- Dip: To lower briefly.
- Disruption: Disturbance or problems which interrupt an event, activity, or process.
- Ditch: A narrow channel dug at the side of a road or field.
- Diverted: Redirected.
- Draw away: To move further away.
- Draw up: To stop a vehicle.
- Drink-driving: Driving under the influence of alcohol.
- Driver’s license: An official document authorizing someone to drive.
- Drug-driving: Driving under the influence of drugs.
- Dual carriageway: A road with two lanes in each direction, separated by a central reservation.
- Ease traffic congestion: To reduce traffic jams.
- Emergency: A serious, unexpected, and often dangerous situation requiring immediate action.
- Engine: A machine that converts energy into mechanical force or motion.
- Engineering work: Construction or maintenance work on roads or railways.
- Environmental campaigners: People who actively promote the protection of the environment.
- Exhaust-emissions: Gases released from a vehicle’s exhaust.
- Face a hike: To experience a large increase.
- Fare rises: Increases in the cost of public transport tickets.
- Fast lane: The lane on a motorway used for overtaking.
- Flyover: A bridge carrying one road over another.
- Footbridge: A bridge for pedestrians.
- Fuel: A substance that is burned to produce heat or power.
- Get stuck in traffic: To be delayed in a traffic jam.
- Give way: To allow other traffic to proceed before you.
- Give-way sign: A sign indicating that you must give way to other traffic.
- Go straight on: To continue in the same direction.
- Go your own way: To do what you want, regardless of what others do.
- Grass verge: A strip of grass at the edge of a road.
- Grave offence: A serious crime.
- Gridlock: A situation where traffic is so heavy that it cannot move.
- Hairpin bend: A very sharp bend in a road.
- Hand-brake: A brake used to keep a vehicle stationary.
- Hard shoulder: A lane on a motorway for emergency use.
- Head-on collision: A collision where the front ends of two vehicles hit each other.
- Heavy fine: A large sum of money paid as a penalty.
- Heavy traffic: A large volume of vehicles on the road.
- Highway: A main road.
- Hit-and-run accident: An accident where the driver leaves the scene without providing information.
- Horde: A large group of people.
- Imprisonment: The state of being imprisoned.
- Indicate: To signal a turn.
- Invest in infrastructure: To spend money on roads, railways, etc.
- Jaywalking: Crossing the road illegally.
- Jump a red light: To drive through a red traffic light.
- Junction: A place where two or more roads meet.
- Kerb: The edge of a pavement.
- Lane: A division of a road for a single line of vehicles.
- Lay by: A place at the side of a road where vehicles can stop.
- Leather upholstery: Seats covered in leather.
- Lengthy tailbacks: Long queues of traffic.
- Livid: Extremely angry.
- Local transport links: Connections to local public transport services.
- Lorry: A large truck.
- Lose control: To be unable to steer or stop a vehicle.
- Main road: A principal road.
- Motorway: A major divided highway.
- Motorway service station/area: A place on a motorway where drivers can stop for fuel, food, etc.
- Mount the pavement: To drive onto the pavement.
- On-the-spot fines: Fines issued immediately.
- One-way street: A street where traffic can only travel in one direction.
- Overcrowded: Containing too many people.
- Overtake: To pass another vehicle.
- Packed trains: Trains with many passengers.
- Park-and-ride scheme: A system where people park their cars and take public transport into a city.
- Parting of the ways: A point where people go in different directions.
- Path: A way or track laid down for walking or made by continual treading.
- Pavement: A sidewalk.
- Peak time: The time when traffic is at its heaviest.
- Pedestrian: A person walking along a road or in a built-up area.
- Pedestrian crossing: A place where pedestrians can cross the road safely.
- Pelican crossing: A type of pedestrian crossing with traffic lights.
- Penalty points: Points added to a driving license for traffic offenses.
- Petrol pump: A machine that dispenses petrol.
- Pile-up: A multiple-vehicle collision.
- Pride and joy: Something that someone is very proud of.
- Prohibited: Forbidden.
- Provide local transport services: To offer public transport in a local area.
- Rail network: A system of railway lines.
- Re-surfacing: Replacing the surface of a road.
- Reckless: Without thinking or caring about the consequences of an action.
- Reckless driving: Driving with a disregard for the safety of others.
- Recovery van: A vehicle that tows away broken-down cars.
- Release: To allow to move freely.
- Replacement bus service: A bus service that replaces a train service.
- Reverse: To drive backwards.
- Right of way: The legal right to proceed before other traffic.
- Ring road: A road that encircles a town or city.
- Road: A way for vehicles to travel on between places.
- Road closure: When a road is temporarily closed to traffic.
- Road rage: Anger or violence caused by the stress of driving.
- Road works: Construction or maintenance work on roads.
- Roadworthy: Fit to be driven safely on the road.
- Roundabout: A road junction where traffic moves in one direction around a central island.
- Run late: To be delayed.
- Run over: To drive over someone or something.
- Rush hour: The time when traffic is at its heaviest.
- Safety: The condition of being protected from harm or other danger.
- School crossing guard/patrol: A person who helps children cross the road safely near a school.
- Season ticket: A ticket that allows travel for a specific period.
- Serious offence: A major crime.
- Side-street: A minor street that branches off a main road.
- Slip road: A road that joins or leaves a motorway.
- Soft verge: A grass verge that is easily damaged.
- Sounding/beeping: Making a noise with a horn.
- Stand in the way: To obstruct or block someone’s path.
- Street: A public road in a city or town.
- Subway: An underground passage for pedestrians.
- Swerve: To change direction suddenly.
- Tailback: A long queue of traffic.
- Take the first right/left: To turn right or left at the first opportunity.
- The lights changed: The traffic lights switched to a different color.
- To be dazzled: To be blinded by a bright light.
- To be knocked over: To be hit and fall to the ground.
- To be streets ahead: To be much better than others.
- To be up your street: To be something that you like or are good at.
- To bring (traffic) to a standstill: To stop traffic completely.
- To check: To examine something to determine its accuracy or condition.
- To dip: To lower briefly.
- To do … kph: To travel at a speed of … kilometers per hour.
- To fasten the seatbelt: To secure the seatbelt.
- To get out (of a car): To exit a car.
- To hit/slam on the brakes: To apply the brakes suddenly and forcefully.
- To lead someone up the garden path: To deceive someone.
- To meet standards: To fulfill requirements.
- To pull (sb) over: To order a driver to stop.
- To pull away: To start moving.
- To pull into somewhere: To drive into a place.
- To pull out: To move into traffic.
- To pull up: To stop a vehicle.
- To put a car into reverse: To select reverse gear.
- To skid: To slide uncontrollably.
- To sound the horn: To use the horn.
- To speed: To drive faster than the speed limit.
- To stall: To stop suddenly.
- To swerve to avoid sth: To change direction suddenly to avoid something.
- To tow: To pull a vehicle with a rope or chain.
- To write (a car) off: To damage a car beyond repair.
- Toll: A fee for using a road or bridge.
- Toll road: A road where a toll is charged.
- Tow sth away: To remove a vehicle by towing.
- Tow-away zone: An area where vehicles are not allowed to park and will be towed away.
- Traffic island: A raised area in the middle of a road to separate traffic.
- Traffic jam: A long line of vehicles that are moving very slowly or not at all.
- Traffic light: A signal that controls the movement of traffic.
- Traffic warden: A person who enforces parking regulations.
- Train cancellation: When a train service is canceled.
- Train operators: Companies that run train services.
- Train strikes: When train workers go on strike.
- Turn on: To switch on.
- Turn right/left: To change direction to the right or left.
- Tyre thread: The grooved surface of a tire.
- Unclassified road: A minor road that is not classified.
- Underpass: A road or tunnel that passes under another road or railway.
- Viaduct: A long bridge carrying a road or railway across a valley.
- Way: A road or route.
- Windscreen: The front window of a car.
- Windscreen wiper: A device that cleans the windscreen.
- Work from home: To work in your own house instead of traveling to an office.
- Wound down the window: To lower the car window.
- Wreckage: The remains of something that has been badly damaged or destroyed.
- You get out of a car but for all other means of transport you use get off; oppositely – get in/into and get on: Instructions on how to use the verbs ‘get in/into’, ‘get on’, and ‘get off’ correctly.
- Zebra crossing: A pedestrian crossing marked with black and white stripes.
Air pollution: Contamination of the atmosphere with harmful substances.
Air quality: The degree to which the air is free from pollution.
Alleviate: To make something less severe.
Environmental campaigners: People who actively promote the protection of the environment.
Exhaust-emissions: Gases released from a vehicle’s exhaust.
Fuel: A substance that is burned to produce heat or power.
Let’s get this show on the road!: Let’s start.
Pride and joy: Something that someone is very proud of.