Driving in the UK
In the UK they drive on the left side of the road, whilst most of the rest of the world drives on the right. This is because of the history of the country - from the 1700s onwards horses and carts travelled on the left hand side of the road, and this was continued with the introduction of cars. To drive in the United Kingdom you must be aged 17 or over and pass a two-part driving licence exam - this test has a 50% pass rate.
The roads in the UK have different names: motorways are major traffic routes; A roads are major traffic routes with less lanes than motorways; B roads are local traffic routes and are usually quieter roads.
The United Kingdom also has speed limits to stop people driving too fast - on the motorway, which is a main road, the speed limit means that you can drive up to 70 miles per hour (mph). In cities and on smaller roads the speed limit will be between 30 and 60 mph.
For a car to be driven on the road, the driver must pay road tax and the car must pass a Ministry of Transport test (MOT test), which checks to make sure it is all working. There are a number of companies who fix cars by the road if they break down, including RAC and AA.
Facts and figures
- There is an estimated 250,000 miles of road across the country.
- There are around 35,760,901 cars on the road in the UK - this is one car for every two people.
- The UK's roads have white lines on them to mark out the lanes, these were first introduced in 1925.
- Drivers in central London must now pay a congestion charge each day - this is to try to limit the traffic around the city centre.
- The UK has one full circle motorway, the M60, which is in Manchester. The M25 in London is almost a circle, with a small gap at the River Thames.
Driving in the UK - Comprehension questions
1. Why do they drive on the left side of the road in the UK?
2. How many types of roads are there in the UK?
3. Why do drivers have to pay a congestion charge in London?