Driving & Travel

American slang related to cars, driving, and road culture

Introduction

America is a car culture, and the language reflects it. From calling "shotgun" to rubbernecking at a fender bender, driving slang is deeply woven into American English.

This chapter covers American slang related to driving, road trips, and travel — vocabulary born from a nation that lives behind the wheel.

Themes

All American Slang & Idioms in This Chapter (67)

• Road trip A long-distance journey by car, typically for leisure or adventure rather tha...
• Shotgun The front passenger seat of a car, or the act of claiming that seat by callin...
• Pedal to the metal To go as fast as possible, or to put maximum effort into something.
• Fender bender A minor car accident with little damage, usually just a dent or scratch.
• Rubbernecking Slowing down to stare at an accident, construction, or anything unusual on th...
• Backseat driver A passenger who gives unwanted advice or criticism about how the driver is dr...
• Carpool To share a car ride with others going to the same destination, splitting the ...
• Jaywalking Crossing a street illegally, typically outside of a crosswalk or against a tr...
• Rush hour The peak traffic period when most people are commuting to or from work, typic...
• Gridlock A severe traffic jam where vehicles are completely stuck and unable to move i...
• Hit the road To leave, depart, or begin a journey.
• Joyride A reckless or unauthorized drive taken purely for fun, often in someone else'...
• Lemon A car (or any product) that turns out to be defective or unreliable.
• Gas guzzler A vehicle that consumes a lot of fuel, typically a large truck or SUV.
• Lead foot A person who drives very fast, or the habit of pressing the gas pedal too hard.
• Tailgating Driving dangerously close to the car in front of you, or partying in a parkin...
• Carjacking Stealing a car by force while the driver is present, typically at gunpoint or...
• Clunker An old, run-down car that barely works and makes lots of noise.
• Beater A cheap, worn-out car that still runs despite its rough condition.
• Road rage Extreme anger or aggression exhibited by a driver, often leading to dangerous...
• Totaled When a car is so badly damaged in an accident that the cost to repair it exce...
• Pull over To move a vehicle to the side of the road and stop, especially when directed ...
• Pit stop A brief stop during a trip for gas, food, or a bathroom break.
• Cruising Driving around slowly with no particular destination, usually for fun or to b...
• Flip a U-turn To make a U-turn, turning the car around 180 degrees to go back the way you c...
• Bumper to bumper Extremely heavy traffic where cars are so close together they're nearly touch...
• Freeway A high-speed, limited-access highway with no tolls, traffic lights, or inters...
• On-ramp The entrance ramp that merges onto a highway or freeway.
• Off-ramp The exit ramp that leads off a highway or freeway, or figuratively, an exit s...
• Sunday driver A person who drives very slowly and cautiously, annoying other drivers.
• Punch it To accelerate quickly, to floor the gas pedal.
• Red-light runner A driver who drives through an intersection after the traffic light has turne...
• Flying by Driving extremely fast, well above the speed limit.
• Speed trap A stretch of road where police frequently hide to catch speeders, or a town k...
• Road hog A driver who takes up more than their share of the road or refuses to let oth...
• Road warrior A person who travels frequently for work, spending a lot of time driving or f...
• Whip A car, especially a nice or flashy one.
• Tricked out A vehicle that has been heavily customized or modified with flashy additions.
• Pickup truck A vehicle with an open cargo bed in the back, deeply embedded in American cul...
• SUV Sport Utility Vehicle — a large, high-riding vehicle that has become the domi...
• Parallel parking Parking a car parallel to the curb between two other vehicles — a skill that ...
• Right of way The legal right to proceed first in traffic, or the general principle of who ...
• Score a parking spot To find and claim a desirable parking space, especially in a crowded area.
• DUI Driving Under the Influence — operating a vehicle while impaired by alcohol o...
• Uber A rideshare service, or generically, any app-based car service. Also used as ...
• Carpool lane A highway lane reserved for vehicles carrying two or more people, also known ...
• Rest stop A roadside facility along a highway with restrooms, vending machines, and som...
• The interstate A major highway that is part of the Interstate Highway System, connecting cit...
• Detour An alternate route taken when the main road is blocked, or any deviation from...
• Take the scenic route To choose a longer but more beautiful road, or to take an unnecessarily long ...
• Vanity plate A personalized license plate with a custom combination of letters and numbers...
• Honk To sound a car's horn, or the sound itself.
• Cut someone off To abruptly merge in front of another driver, forcing them to brake suddenly.
• Where the rubber meets the road The point where theory becomes practice, where something is actually tested i...
• Stick shift A manual transmission car that requires the driver to shift gears using a sti...
• Blacktop A paved road surface made of asphalt, or any paved road in general.
• Stoplight A traffic signal, especially when referring to the red light that means stop.
• Cloverleaf A type of highway interchange shaped like a four-leaf clover, with looping ra...
• Floor it To press the gas pedal all the way to the floor for maximum acceleration.
• Gas station A fueling station where drivers purchase gasoline for their vehicles.
• Take a backseat To become less important, to take a secondary or subordinate role.
• Roadkill An animal that has been hit and killed by a vehicle on the road.
• Drive-by Something done quickly while passing by, or a shooting from a moving vehicle.
• Hauling Going very fast, or transporting something heavy in a vehicle.
• In the fast lane Living an exciting, high-paced lifestyle, or literally driving in the left la...
• Fender The panel of a car body above and around the wheel, often used in expressions...
• Hit and run A traffic accident where the responsible driver flees the scene without stopp...