25 On the road: traffic and driving

road rage

anger or violence between drivers, often caused by difficult driving conditions

clamp

If the police or another person in authority (...) a vehicle, they fix a metal device to one of its wheels, usually because it is parked illegally. The device is usually only removed when the owner pays an amount of money

divert

to cause something or someone to change direction

pile-up

a traffic accident involving several vehicles that hit each other

congestion

a situation in which there is too much traffic and movement is difficult

tailback

a line of vehicles that have stopped or are moving only very slowly, because of an accident or other problem on the road in front of them

roadworthy

(of a vehicle) in good enough condition to be driven without danger

tread

the pattern of raised lines on a tyre that prevents a vehicle from sliding on the road

exhaust

the waste gas from an engine, especially a car's, or the pipe the gas flows through

ban

to forbid (= refuse to allow) something, especially officially

hit and run

a road accident in which the driver who caused the accident drives away without helping the other people involved and without telling the police

Breathalyser

a brand name for a device like a small bag, with a tube at one end, that the police can ask a driver to blow into to see how much alcohol the driver has drunk

drink-driving

the act of driving a vehicle after drinking too much alcohol

reckless

doing something dangerous and not worrying about the risks and the possible results

jumps the light

If a car jumps the light, it starts moving past a traffic light while the light is still red.

beep

to make a high, brief, mechanical sound or series of sounds, or cause a device to make such a sound

pedestrian crossing

a special place in a road where traffic must stop to allow people to walk across

right of way

the legal right to go first across a road, before other road users

give way

to allow other vehicles to go past before you move onto a road