The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 11 letter word AUTOMOBILES
I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
A
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More clues leading to the result AUTOMOBILES
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "they're on the road" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case they're on the road = automobiles.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does AUTOMOBILES mean?
AUTOMOBILES noun- A type of vehicle designed to move on the ground under its own stored power and intended to carry a driver, a small number of additional passengers, and a very limited amount of other load. A car or motorcar.
- To travel by automobile.