Driving in the United States

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86 percent of people in the United States use private automobiles as their primary form of transportation to their workplace.^[1][2]

Each state has the authority to set its own traffic laws and issue driving licenses, although these laws are largely the same and licenses from other states are respected throughout the country. Most states require drivers to have vehicle insurance. An international driving license allows one to drive in the U.S. for three months, after which a local driving license is required.^[3]

Americans generally drive on the right side of the road.^[a] There are numerous regulations on driving behavior, including speed limits, passing regulations, and seat belt requirements. Driving while intoxicated with alcohol is illegal in all U.S. jurisdictions. Most U.S. vehicles have a semi-automatic transmission; only 3.9 percent have a manual transmission.^[3][4]

The U.S. has an extensive system of highways, including the National Highway System begun in the early 20th century and the Interstate Highway System planned in the 1950s. U.S. infrastructure and road rules tend to privilege cars over other road users such as cyclists and pedestrians. Cars and driving have been a major component of American culture, particularly since the 1950s.^[5][6]

Congestion is oftentimes claimed to be a major problem in many American cities, wasting an estimated 4.2 billion hours and 2.8 billion U.S. gallons (11 million cubic meters) of fuel annually as of 2007^[update], costing the U.S. economy $87.2 billion.^[7]

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration writes and enforces the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. In 2020, there were an estimated 38,680 traffic fatalities in the U.S.^[8] The U.S. traffic fatality rate was 1.1 per 100 million vehicle miles traveled as of 2019^[update].^[9]

The U.S. has a well-developed trucking industry that serves the country's economy by transporting goods. Operating trucks and other large vehicles requires a commercial driver's license.

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