Cars and Driving Vocabulary in English: Words, Examples and Quiz

the wheel you turn to change the direction of a car

Keep both hands on the steering wheel.

the part you press with your foot to slow down or stop

She hit the brakes when the dog ran into the road.

the pedal you press to make a car go faster (British English: accelerator)

Press the gas pedal gently when you start.

a strap that holds you in your seat in case of an accident

Please fasten your seat belt.

the big front window of a car (British English: windscreen)

There's a small crack in the windshield.

the space at the back of a car for bags (British English: boot)

Put the suitcases in the trunk.

the metal cover over the engine at the front (British English: bonnet)

The mechanic opened the hood and checked the oil.

the rubber ring around a wheel, filled with air (British spelling: tyre)

Check the tires before a long trip.

the two big lights at the front of a car

Turn on your headlights. It's getting dark.

the mirror inside a car that lets the driver see behind

Check your rearview mirror before you slow down.

a flashing light that shows you are going to turn (British English: indicator)

He changed lanes without using his turn signal.

one of the positions that control the speed of the engine compared to the wheels

Change to a lower gear on steep hills.

the machine that makes a car move

The engine won't start in cold weather.

the sign with numbers and letters on the front and back of a car (British English: number plate)

A witness wrote down the license plate.

the panel in front of the driver with the speed and other information

A red warning light appeared on the dashboard.

to start to go faster

Don't speed up when the light turns yellow.

to start to go more slowly

Slow down. There's a school here.

to drive to the side of the road and stop

The police officer told me to pull over.

to stop working because of a problem with the engine

Our car broke down on the way to the airport.

to put fuel in a car until the tank is full

Let's fill up before we get on the highway.

to stop a car and leave it somewhere for a time

You can park on this street after six.

to go past a slower car in front of you (British English: overtake)

It's dangerous to pass on a curve.

to drive backwards (British English: reverse)

Back up slowly. There's a wall behind you.

to let other cars go first (British English: give way)

Yield to cars that are already on the roundabout.

to make a loud noise with the car's horn

The taxi driver honked at us.

a wide, fast road between cities (British English: motorway)

The speed limit on the highway is higher.

one part of a road, marked with lines, for one line of cars

Stay in the right lane unless you are passing.

a place where two or more roads meet and cross (British English: junction)

Turn left at the next intersection.

red, yellow and green lights that control traffic

Go straight through the traffic lights.

a round place where roads meet and cars drive in a circle (American English also: traffic circle)

Take the second exit at the roundabout.

a marked place where people can walk across a road (British English: pedestrian crossing)

Stop for people at the crosswalk.

the fastest speed you are allowed to drive on a road

The speed limit here is 30 miles per hour.

money you pay to use a road or bridge

You have to pay a toll to cross the bridge.

an outdoor area where you can leave your car (British English: car park)

The parking lot was full, so we parked on the street.

a place where you buy fuel for your car (British English: petrol station)

Is there a gas station near here?

a different, longer road you must use when the usual road is closed (British English: diversion)

The bridge is closed, so there's a detour through town.

an official card that shows you are allowed to drive (British English: driving licence)

Can I see your driver's license, please?

the exam you take to get a driver's license

She passed her driving test on the first try.

an agreement where you pay a company and it pays you if you have an accident

Does the rental price include insurance?

a crash in which a car hits something

Nobody was hurt in the accident.

a tire with no air in it (British: flat tyre)

We got a flat tire in the middle of nowhere.

an official paper that says you must pay money because you drove too fast

He got a speeding ticket on his way to work.

money you must pay because you broke a rule or law

The fine for parking here is very high.

a person in a car who is not driving

The passenger in the front seat helped with the map.

gas, diesel or another material that makes an engine work

This car uses very little fuel.

changing gears by itself, without a gear stick (the opposite is manual)

I can only drive an automatic car.