View source for Driving

{{Short description|Operation of a vehicle}}
{{Other uses|Driving (disambiguation)||Drive (disambiguation)||Driver (disambiguation)}}
[[File:Convertible Mercedes Car Driving On A Highway.jpg|thumb|upright=1.35|Driving a [[convertible]]]]
[[File:Thủ tướng Malaysia trải nghiệm lái xe Vinfast Lux SA2.0 (cropped).jpg|thumb|[[Prime Minister of Malaysia|Malaysian Prime Minister]] [[Mahathir Mohamad]] driving a car in [[Vietnam]]]]
'''Driving''' is the controlled operation and movement of a [[land vehicle]], including [[Car|cars]], [[Taxi|taxis]], [[Ambulance|ambulances]], [[Fire engine|fire engines]], [[Tank|tanks]], [[Van|vans]], [[Truck|trucks]] and [[Bus|buses]]. A driver's permission to drive on public [[highway]]s is granted based on a set of conditions being met, and drivers are required to follow the established [[Traffic code|road and traffic laws]] in the location they are driving. The word "driving" has etymology dating back to the 15th century. Its meaning has changed from primarily driving [[working animals]] in the 15th century to automobiles in the 1800s. Driving skills have also developed since the 15th century, with physical, mental and safety skills being required to drive. This evolution of the skills required to drive have been accompanied by the introduction of driving laws which relate not only to the driver but also to the driveability of a car.
 
The term "driver" originated in the 15th century, referring to the occupation of driving working animals such as pack or [[draft horses]]. It later applied to [[electric railway]] drivers in 1889 and motor-car drivers in 1896. The world's first long-distance road trip by automobile was in 1888, when [[Bertha Benz]] drove a [[Benz Patent-Motorwagen]] from [[Mannheim]] to [[Pforzheim]], Germany. Driving requires both physical and mental skills, as well as an understanding of the rules of the road.

In many countries, drivers must pass practical and theoretical driving tests to obtain a driving license. Physical skills required for driving include proper hand placement, gear shifting, pedal operation, [[steering]], [[braking]], and operation of [[ancillary]] devices. Mental skills involve hazard awareness, decision-making, evasive maneuvering, and understanding [[vehicle dynamics]]. [[Distractions]], [[altered states of consciousness]], and certain medical conditions can impair a driver's mental skills.

Safety concerns in driving include poor road conditions, low visibility, [[texting while driving]], [[speeding]], [[impaired driving]], [[sleep-deprived driving]], and [[reckless driving]]. Laws regarding driving, [[driver licensing]], and [[vehicle registration]] vary between jurisdictions. Most countries have laws against driving under the influence of alcohol or other drugs. Many jurisdictions use point systems for driver's licenses to track offenses and maintain road safety. A modern, data-driven counterpart in the commercial and insurance sectors is [[driver scoring]], which uses [[telematics]] to monitor and evaluate driving behavior.

The [[World Health Organization]] estimates that 1.35 million people are killed each year in road traffic; it is the leading cause of death for people aged 5 to 29.<ref name=WHO2018>{{cite report|author=World Health Organization|title=
Global status report on road safety 2018|url=https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241565684|year=2018}}</ref>

== Etymology ==
{{further|Coachman|Chauffeur}}
The origin of the term ''driver'', as recorded from the 15th century, refers to the occupation of driving [[working animal]]s, especially [[Packhorse|pack horses]] or [[draft horses]]. The verb ''to drive'' in origin means "to force to move, to impel by physical force". It is first recorded of electric railway drivers in 1889 and of a ''motor-car driver'' in 1896. Early alternatives were ''motorneer'',<ref>[[Century Dictionary]]; (1891)</ref> ''motor-man'', ''motor-driver'' or ''motorist''.  French favors "''conducteur''" (the English equivalent, "''[[:wikt:conductor|conductor]]''", being used—from the 1830s—not of the driver but of the person in charge of passengers and collecting fares), while German influenced areas adopted ''Fahrer'' (used of coach-drivers in the 18th century, but shortened about 1900 from the compound ''Kraftwagenfahrer''), and the verbs ''führen'', ''lenken'', ''steuern''—all with a meaning "steer, guide, navigate"—translating to ''conduire''.

==Introduction of the automobile==
[[File:Driving to top of Mt Washington 1899.jpg|thumb|In 1899, an automobile was driven to the summit of [[Mount Washington (New Hampshire)|Mount Washington]], New Hampshire, for the first time]]

The world's first long-distance [[road trip]] by automobile was in August 1888, when [[Bertha Benz]], wife of ''[[Benz Patent-Motorwagen]]'' inventor [[Karl Benz]], drove {{cvt|106|km|order=flip}} from [[Mannheim]] to [[Pforzheim]], [[Germany]], and returned, in the third experimental Benz motor car, which had a maximum speed of {{cvt|10|mph}}, with her two teenage sons Richard and Eugen but without the consent and knowledge of her husband.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.abcteach.com/free/i/inv_berthabenz_a.pdf|title=The First Road Trip|access-date=2011-05-15|archive-date=2021-04-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210430182610/https://www.abcteach.com/free/i/inv_berthabenz_a.pdf}}</ref><ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/yHIFE4vOeEo Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20130228000139/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHIFE4vOeEo Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHIFE4vOeEo|title=Making of 'Carl & Bertha' (Film)|date=8 May 2011 |via=www.youtube.com}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=jaqjwnoubtjswpwi|title=GPS-Download Outbound Trip}}</ref> She had said she wanted to visit her mother, but also intended to generate publicity for her husband's invention, which had only been taken on short test drives before.<ref>''[http://www.thecarisborn.com/index.html The Car is Born]'', documentary</ref>

In 1899, F. O. Stanley and his wife Flora drove their ''[[Stanley Steamer]]'' automobile, sometimes called a ''locomobile'', to the summit of [[Mount Washington (New Hampshire)|Mount Washington]] in [[New Hampshire]] in the United States to generate [[publicity]] for their automobile.<ref name=twsZc44>{{cite news | first= Christopher |last=Jensen | title= Taming a Mountain Road With Horses and Cars| newspaper= The New York Times| quote= That was the day that F. O. Stanley and his wife, Flora, decided it would be good publicity for their steam-powered Stanley Locomobile if it were the first car to be driven up the 7.6-mile Mount Washington Carriage Road. |date= June 17, 2011| url= https://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/19/automobiles/19MOUNTAIN.html| access-date= 2011-09-29}}</ref> The {{convert|7.6|mi|adj=on}} journey took over two hours (not counting time to add more water); the descent was accomplished by putting the engine in [[low gear]] and much braking.<ref name=twsZc44/>

==Driving skills==
[[File:Bus driver (5171124305).jpg|thumb|Driving a bus in traffic.]]
Driving in [[traffic]] is more than just knowing how to operate the mechanisms which control the vehicle; it requires knowing how to apply the rules of the road (which ensure safe and efficient sharing with other users). An effective driver also has an intuitive understanding of the basics of [[vehicle handling]] and can drive responsibly.<ref>{{cite web|title=Driving in France for UK Drivers|url=http://www.conean.com/travel-and-holidays/paris-travel-guide-driving-paris-uk/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170419100929/http://www.conean.com/travel-and-holidays/paris-travel-guide-driving-paris-uk/|archive-date=April 19, 2017|publisher=Driving in Paris}}</ref>

Although direct operation of a [[bicycle]] and a mounted [[animal]] are commonly referred to as ''riding'', such operators are legally considered drivers and are required to obey the [[Traffic#Rules of the road|rules of the road]]. Driving over a long distance is referred to as a [[road trip]].

In many countries, knowledge of the rules of the road, both practical and theoretical, is assessed with a driving test(s), and those who pass are issued with a [[driving license]].

===Physical skill===
[[File:Cesta za V. Prapratnu 01935.webm|thumb|Control direction, acceleration, and deceleration.]]
A driver must have physical skills to be able to control direction, acceleration, and deceleration. For motor vehicles, the detailed tasks include:<ref>{{cite web| title=Getting moving| url=http://www.drivingtestadvice.co.uk/Lesson_Help/1__Getting_moving/1__getting_moving.html| publisher=Driving Test Advice| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090316042114/http://www.drivingtestadvice.co.uk/Lesson_Help/1__Getting_moving/1__getting_moving.html| archive-date=2009-03-16}}</ref>
* Proper hand placement and seating position
* Starting the vehicle's engine with the [[Automobile self starter|starting system]]
* Setting the [[Transmission (mechanics)|transmission]] to the correct gear
* Depressing the [[automobile pedal|pedals]] with one's feet to accelerate, slow and stop the vehicle and
** If the vehicle is equipped with a [[manual transmission]], to modulate the [[clutch]]
* [[Steering]] the vehicle's direction with the [[steering wheel]]
* Applying [[brake]] pressure to slow or stop the vehicle
* Operating other important ancillary devices such as the [[Turn signals|indicators]], [[headlights]], [[parking brake]] and [[windshield wiper]]s
* Speed and [[Skid (automobile)|skid]] control

===Mental skill===
[[File:Hwy 11 Ontario Winter.JPG|thumb|Observing the environment. Driving in a snowy condition can pose serious hazards. The snow affects the [[vehicle dynamics|dynamics of the car]].]]
Avoiding or successfully handling an emergency driving situation can involve the following skills:<ref>{{cite web| title=Think driving is all about practical skills?| url=http://www.easytodrive.co.uk/| publisher=Easy to Drive| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080117095149/http://www.easytodrive.co.uk/| archive-date=2008-01-17}}</ref>
* Observing the environment for road signs, driving conditions, and hazards
* [[Spatial contextual awareness|Awareness of surroundings]], especially in heavy and city traffic
* Making good and quick decisions based on factors such as road and traffic conditions
* Evasive maneuvering
* Understanding [[vehicle dynamics]]
* [[Left- and right-hand traffic]]

[[File:Distracted driving kills, keep your eyes and mind on the road 130417-M-RR352-002.jpg|thumb|[[Distracted driving]].{{quote|Driver distraction is a significant risk factor in traffic. It occurs when attention is diverted away from activities needed for safe driving towards a competing activity|<ref>European Commission (2022) Road safety thematic report –Driver distraction. European Road Safety 
bservatory. Brussels, European Commission, Directorate General for Transport.</ref>}}]]
[[Distracted driving|Distractions]] can compromise a driver's mental skills, as can any [[altered state of consciousness]]. One study on the subject of [[mobile phones and driving safety]] concluded that, after controlling for driving difficulty and time on task, drivers talking on a phone exhibited greater impairment than drivers who were suffering from alcohol intoxication.<ref name="Strayer">{{Cite web |first1=David |last1=Strayer |first2=Frank |last2=Drews |first3=Dennis |last3=Crouch |title=Fatal Distraction? A Comparison of the Cell-Phone Driver and the Drunk Driver |location=University of Utah Department of Psychology |year=2003 |url=http://www.psych.utah.edu/AppliedCognitionLab/DrivingAssessment2003.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090411094037/http://www.psych.utah.edu/AppliedCognitionLab/DrivingAssessment2003.pdf |archive-date=2009-04-11 }}</ref> In the US "During daylight hours, approximately 481,000 drivers are using cell phones while driving according to the publication on the National Highway Traffic Safety Association. Another survey indicated that music could adversely affect a driver's concentration."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/distracted-driving|title=Distracted Driving|last=National Highway Traffic Safety Association}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Distracted Driving {{!}} NHTSA |url=https://www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/distracted-driving |access-date=2023-03-06 |website=National Highway Traffic Safety Administration |language=en}}</ref><ref>[http://www.infoniac.com/science/hard-rock-and-classic-music-could-lead-to-road-accidents.html Hard-Rock and Classic Music Could Lead to Road Accidents, New Survey Says]; Infoniac.com</ref>

Seizure disorders and Alzheimer's disease are among the leading medical causes of mental impairment among drivers in the United States and Europe.<ref name="ReferenceA">{{Cite journal |last=Appel |first=Jacob |date=2009-06-01 |title=Must Physicians Report Impaired Driving? Rethinking a Duty on a Collision Course with Itself |url=https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/JCE200920204 |journal=The Journal of Clinical Ethics |language=en |volume=20 |issue=2 |pages=136–140 |doi=10.1086/JCE200920204 |pmid=19554818 |s2cid=43453501 |issn=1046-7890|url-access=subscription }}</ref> Whether or not physicians should be allowed, or even required, to report such conditions to state authorities, remains highly controversial.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>

===Safety===
[[File:Car Crash 7-1-18 2245 (42450608354).jpg|thumb|Safety is always the most important thing.]]
Safety issues in driving include:
* Driving in poor road conditions and low visibility
* [[Texting while driving]]
* [[Speeding]]
* [[Drug–impaired driving]] and [[driving under the influence]]
* [[Distracted driving]]
* [[Sleep-deprived driving]]
* [[Reckless driving]] and [[street racing]]

== Teenagers ==
There is a high rate of injury and death caused by motor vehicle accidents that involve teenage drivers.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last1=Ward |first1=Aimee |last2=Lewis |first2=Sharon R. |last3=Weiss |first3=Harold |date=2020-08-16 |title=Mobility management to prevent, reduce, or delay driving a car in teenagers |url= |journal=The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews |volume=2020 |issue=8 |article-number=CD009438 |doi=10.1002/14651858.CD009438.pub2 |issn=1469-493X |pmc=8094927 |pmid=32799320}}</ref> There is evidence that the less teenagers drive, the risk of injury drops.<ref name=":0" /> There is a lack of evidence as to whether educational  interventions to promote active transport and share information about the risks, cost, and stresses involved with driving are effective at reducing or delaying car driving in the teenage years.<ref name=":0" />

== Driveability ==
Driveability of a vehicle means the smooth delivery of power, as demanded by the driver. Typical causes of driveability degradation are rough [[Idle (engine)|idling]], [[wikt:misfiring|misfiring]], [[wikt:surging|surging]], [[wikt:hesitation|hesitation]], or insufficient power.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/zevprog/hevtest/071608aftermarketpartsdraftrev.pdf|title=State of California Air Resources Board|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080910051821/http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/zevprog/hevtest/071608aftermarketpartsdraftrev.pdf|archive-date=2008-09-10}}</ref>

== Driving laws ==
Drivers are subject to the laws of the [[jurisdiction]] in which they are driving.

=== International conventions ===
Some jurisdictions submit to some or all of the requirements of the [[Geneva Convention on Road Traffic]] of 1949.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/trans/conventn/Convention_on_Road_Traffic_of_1949.pdf|title=Geneva Convention on Road Traffic 1949}}</ref>

Additionally, the [[Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals]] standardises road signs, traffic lights and road markings to improve safety.

=== Local driving laws ===
[[File:Permiso de conducir plastificado.jpg|thumbnail|right|upright|Driver's license from Spain. Spanish driving licenses use a point system]]
The rules of the road, [[Driver's license|driver licensing]] and [[License plate|vehicle registration]] schemes vary considerably between jurisdictions, as do laws imposing [[Vehicular homicide|criminal responsibility for negligent driving]], [[Vehicle inspection|vehicle safety inspections]] and compulsory [[Vehicle insurance|insurance]]. Most countries also have differing laws against driving while under the [[Driving under the influence|influence of alcohol or other drugs]]. [[Aggressive driving]] and [[Road rage (phenomenon)|road rage]] have become problems for drivers in some areas.

Some countries require annual renewal of the driver's license. This may require getting through another driving test or vision screening test to get recertified.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ec.europa.eu/transport/road_safety/specialist/knowledge/old/what_can_be_done_about_it/assessing_the_fitness_to_drive_en|title=Assessing the fitness to drive|date=October 17, 2016|website=Mobility and transport - European Commission}}</ref> Also, some countries use a [[Point system (driving)|points system]] for the driver's license. Both techniques (annual renewal with tests, points system) may or may not improve road safety compared to when the driver is not continuously or annually evaluated.<ref>{{Cite journal | last1 = Desapriya | first1 = E. | last2 = Wijeratne | first2 = H. | last3 = Subzwari | first3 = S. | last4 = Babul-Wellar | first4 = S. | last5 = Turcotte | first5 = K. | last6 = Rajabali | first6 = F. | last7 = Kinney | first7 = J. | last8 = Pike | first8 = I. | editor1-last = Desapriya | editor1-first = Ediriweera | doi = 10.1002/14651858.CD006252.pub3 | title = Vision screening of older drivers for preventing road traffic injuries and fatalities |journal=The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews| year = 2011 | issue = 3 | article-number = CD006252 | pmid = 21412894 }}</ref>

====Ownership and insurance====
[[Car ownership]] does not require a driver's license at all. As such, even with a [[Point system (driving)|withdrawn driver's license]], former drivers are still legally allowed to possess a car and thus have access to it. In the USA, between 1993 and 1997 13.8% of all drivers involved in fatal crashes had no driver's license.<ref>[https://www.adtsea.org/webfiles/fnitools/documents/aaa-unlicensed-to-kill.pdf Unlicensed to kill]</ref>

In some countries (such as the UK), the car itself needs have a [[MOT test|certificate that proves the vehicle is safe and roadworthy]]. Also, it needs to have a minimum of [[Car insurance|third party insurance]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/legal-obligations-drivers-riders|title=Legal obligations of drivers and riders|website=GOV.UK}}</ref>

====Driver training====
Drivers may be required to take lessons with an approved [[driving instructor]] (or are strongly encouraged to do so) and must pass a [[driving test]] before being granted a license. Almost all countries allow all adults with good vision and health to apply to take a driving test and, if successful, to drive on public roads.

In many countries, even after passing one's driving test, new drivers are initially subject to special restrictions under [[graduated driver licensing]] rules. For example, in Australia, novice drivers are required to carry "P" ("provisional") plates,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://roads-waterways.transport.nsw.gov.au/geared/your_licence/keeping_your_licence/rules_for_l_and_p_plate_drivers.html|title=Restrictions for L and P plate drivers – Keeping your licence – Your licence – GEARED|website=Geared – Transport for NSW|date=16 August 2021 }}</ref> while in [[New Zealand]] it is called restricted (R).<ref>{{cite web|title=Conditions and restrictions of a restricted licence|url=https://www.drivingtests.co.nz/roadcode-questions/car/theory/if-you-have-a-restricted-license-what-ho/|website=Driving Tests}}</ref> Many U.S. states now issue graduated drivers' licenses to novice minors. While graduated driver licensing rules vary between jurisdictions, typical restrictions include newly licensed minors not being permitted to drive or operate a motorized vehicle at night or with a passenger other than family members, zero blood alcohol, and limited [[power-to-weight ratio]] of the vehicle.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ghsa.org/html/stateinfo/laws/license_laws.html |title=Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) Laws |date=July 2012|access-date =2012-07-22 }}</ref>

==Driving bans==
It is possible for a driver to be suspended or disqualified (banned) from driving, either for a short time or permanently. This is usually in response to a serious traffic offence (for example, causing death due to drink driving), repeated minor traffic offences (for example, accruing too many demerit points for speeding), or for a specific medical condition which prevents driving, pending a future assessment (for example, a traumatic brain injury).

Some jurisdictions implement [[road space rationing]], where vehicles are banned from driving on certain days depending on a variety of criteria, most commonly the letters and digits in their [[vehicle registration plate]].

A few countries banned women driving in the past. In [[Oman]], women were not allowed to drive until 1970.<ref>{{cite web|title=Here's what Omani women say about Saudi lifting its ban on women drivers|url=http://timesofoman.com/article/118197|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180629022302/http://timesofoman.com/article/118197|archive-date=June 29, 2018|access-date=28 June 2018|work=Times of Oman}}</ref> In [[Saudi Arabia]], women were not issued driving licenses until 2018. Saudi women had periodically staged driving protests against these restrictions and in September 2017, the Saudi government agreed to lift the ban, which went into effect in June 2018.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/26/world/middleeast/saudi-arabia-women-drive.html|title=Saudi Arabia Agrees to Let Women Drive|first=Ben|last=Hubbard|newspaper=The New York Times|date=September 26, 2017}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Hands-free driving]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* {{Cite book | last=Vanderbilt| first=Tom| title=Traffic: why we drive the way we do (and what it says about us)| url=https://archive.org/details/trafficwhywedriv00tom_2oa| url-access=registration| year=2008| publisher=Alfred A. Knopf| location=New York| isbn=978-0-307-26478-7| edition=1st}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Driving}}
{{Wikibooks|Driving}}
{{Wikivoyage}}
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[[Category:Driving| ]]
[[Category:Land transport]]
[[Category:Vehicle operation]]
[[Category:Youth rights]]