behind the wheel
Steering a vehicle
Behind the wheel means driving or in control of a vehicle, referring to the steering wheel's position.
She's been behind the wheel for six hours straight.
Extended to mean in control generally: With a new CEO behind the wheel, the company changed direction.
Often appears in warnings about impaired driving: Don't get behind the wheel after drinking.
- car keysVehicle ignition tokens
- seatbeltVehicle passenger restraint
- dashboardVehicle control panel
- acceleratingIncreasing in speed
- cruise controlAutomatic velocity maintenance system
steering · braking · ignition · turn signal · stop · rearview mirror · blind spot · control · speedometer · distracted driving · highway · turn · road trip · open road · pedal to the metal · designated driver · drive · motorist
- driver educationdriving schools, driving instructors, student drivers, driving tests, driver education
- driving schooldriving school, driver education, driver's ed, driving instructor, driving practice
- driving slangfloor it, gun it, pedal to the metal, pedal to metal, peel out
- driving testsdriving test, permit test, road signs, parallel parking, three-point turn
- Road Safetyseatbelt, stop sign, speed limit, crosswalk, traffic light
- taking chargeleading, commanding, directing, managing, captaining
behind the wheelpassenger
Traveler, not operator
riding shotgun · backseat · along for the ride · copilot · hitchhiking
behind the wheelalong for the ride
Present without active participation
backseat driver · hands off · out of control · powerless · at the mercy of
wheel, behind, wheels, wheelbarrow, wheeled, wheeling, steering wheel, wheeler, flywheel