road traffic
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road traffic
All movement of vehicles (such as cars, trucks, bicycles) and pedestrians on public roads and squares.
Wegen eines Unfalls kam der Straßenverkehr auf der Autobahn komplett zum Erliegen.
Because of an accident, road traffic on the highway came to a complete standstill.
The word is a compound of 'die Straße' (the road/street, in the form 'Straßen-') and 'der Verkehr' (traffic). So it literally describes traffic that takes place on the road.
Kinder müssen lernen, im Straßenverkehr vorsichtig zu sein.
Children have to learn to be careful in road traffic.
'Straßenverkehr' (road traffic) is an uncountable noun (a singulare tantum). It is therefore almost never used in the plural or with the indefinite article 'ein' (a/an). People speak of 'Straßenverkehr' in general.
In Großstädten gibt es oft dichten Straßenverkehr.
In big cities, there is often heavy road traffic.
Common adjectives are 'dichter' (heavy/dense), 'fließender' (flowing), or 'stockender' (stop-and-go) Straßenverkehr. Typical verbs are 'am Straßenverkehr teilnehmen' (to participate in road traffic), 'den Straßenverkehr beobachten' (to observe road traffic), or 'den Straßenverkehr regeln' (to direct/regulate road traffic).
Wegen des Feiertags herrschte heute nur wenig Straßenverkehr.
Because of the holiday, there was only light road traffic today.
traffic / contact
'Verkehr' and 'Strassenverkehr' can both mean the movement of vehicles and people. However, 'Verkehr' is more general. It can be about cars, trains, airplanes, ships, or also goods and people. 'Strassenverkehr' is more specific and refers only to what happens on public roads and squares: cars, trucks, bicycles, and pedestrians. Learners may confuse the words because in everyday life people often simply say 'Verkehr' when they actually mean traffic on the road. If you are speaking generally, 'Verkehr' fits. If it is clearly about roads, 'Strassenverkehr' is more precise.
Kinder lernen in der Schule, wie sie sich im Strassenverkehr sicher verhalten.
Children learn at school how to behave safely in road traffic.
Wegen des Schnees war der Verkehr in der ganzen Stadt sehr langsam.
Because of the snow, traffic throughout the whole city was very slow.