Culture driving

driving

Americans have long had a ‘love affair’ with the automobile (also car). Almost everybody over the age of 15 is a driver and most households have a vehicle. American life is arranged so that people can do many things from their cars. There are drive-in banks, post offices, restaurants, movie theatres and even some churches.

In Britain the percentage of the population who are drivers is slightly less but, as in the US, many people prefer to use their car rather than public transport, because it is more convenient and because they like to be independent. In order to reduce pollution, the government tries to encourage people to use other forms of transport by making driving expensive. In particular, it puts a heavy tax on fuel and increases the annual road tax for cars that cause heavy pollution. Congestion charging is used to persuade people to avoid driving their cars in some city centres.

To some people the make and quality of their car reflects their status in society, and it is important to them to get a smart new car every few years. In Britain since 2001 the registration number of a car shows the place and date of registration but older number plates can be used and a personalized number plate (= a plate that spells out the owner's name or initials) may also suggest status. Many people prefer to buy a small, economical car, or get a second-hand one. Cars in the US are often larger than those in Britain and though fuel is cheaper, insurance is expensive. In the US car license plates, commonly called tags, are given by the states. New ones must be bought when a driver moves to another state. The states use the plates to advertise themselves: Alabama plates say ‘Heart of Dixie’ and have a small heart on them, and Illinois has ‘Land of Lincoln’.

In Britain, before a person can get a driving licence they must pass an official driving test, which includes a written test on a computer of the Highway Code (= the rules that all road users must obey) and a practical driving exam. Only people aged 17 or over are allowed to drive. Learner drivers who have a provisional licence must display an L-plate, a large red ‘L’, on their car, and be supervised by a qualified driver. The US has no national driver's license (NAmE), but instead licenses are issued by each state. Most require written tests, an eye test and a short practical test. The minimum age for getting a license is normally 16, although some states will issue a learner's permit to drivers as young as 14. Many states now apply a system of graduated licenses in which young drivers are first required to have an intermediate license for a period of time before being given a full license. An intermediate license may, for example, prevent driving alone at particular times of the day or require the driver to take special classes if they drive badly. Americans have to get a new driver's license if they move to another state. In both Britain and the US drivers need a special licence to drive certain types of vehicle, for example a bus, lorry or motorcycle.

In Britain people drive on the left and in the US they drive on the right. Generally British and US drivers are relatively careful and polite but there is dangerous driving. In the US many of the deaths due to traffic accidents are caused by drivers who have drunk alcohol. Drink-driving (NAmE drunk driving, driving under the influence or driving while intoxicated) (= driving a car after drinking alcohol) is also a serious problem in Britain. On many British roads speed cameras have been set up to catch drivers who go too fast. In the US the main job of state highway patrols is to prevent speeding.

Many drivers pay a monthly fee to their insurance company or to an automobile association, who will arrange for someone to come and help them if their car breaks down or if they are involved in an accident. In Britain the main ones are the AA (Automobile Association) and the RAC (Royal Automobile Club), and in the US the largest is the American Automobile Association (AAA).