How many countries have left-hand drive cars

Approximately 141 of the world’s 195 sovereign countries predominantly use left-hand-drive (LHD) vehicles—because they drive on the right side of the road. When counting territories and dependencies alongside sovereign states, roughly 163–165 of about 239–241 jurisdictions are LHD, reflecting small variations in how territories are classified. This means LHD is the global norm, covering roughly three-quarters of the world’s population and the vast majority of its road network.

What “left-hand drive” means—and why it matters

In road traffic terms, vehicle configuration mirrors the side of the road used for travel. Countries that drive on the right standardize on left-hand-drive cars (steering wheel on the left), while countries that drive on the left use right-hand-drive cars (steering wheel on the right). This standardization affects everything from vehicle imports and safety regulations to cross-border travel and logistics.

The global picture by the numbers

The figures below summarize how many places standardize on left-hand-drive vehicles, using two common counting approaches: (1) sovereign countries and (2) countries plus territories/dependencies. Differences come from how microstates, overseas territories, and special administrative regions are included.

• Sovereign countries (UN members and observers): About 141 of 195 drive on the right and therefore use LHD cars as standard.
• Countries plus territories/dependencies: Roughly 163–165 jurisdictions drive on the right (LHD standard) versus about 76 that drive on the left (RHD standard).
• Population share: Approximately three-quarters of the world’s population lives in right-driving (LHD) jurisdictions.
• Road network share: An even higher share of total road length is in right-driving (LHD) jurisdictions, due to the size of road systems in the Americas, continental Europe, China, and Russia.

Taken together, these metrics show that left-hand-drive vehicles are the worldwide default, both by country count and by usage.

Why counts can vary

Minor discrepancies arise from how lists categorize territories and special regions, as well as from historical shifts and import patterns. A few cases illustrate the nuance behind the headline numbers.

Notable exceptions and edge cases

The following examples highlight how history, regional ties, and trade create exceptions to the simple left vs. right divide.

• China vs. Hong Kong and Macau: Mainland China drives on the right (LHD standard), while Hong Kong and Macau drive on the left (RHD standard).
• Myanmar (Burma): Officially drives on the right (favoring LHD), yet many vehicles remain right-hand-drive due to used-car imports from Japan.
• Samoa: Switched from right-driving to left-driving in 2009 to align with regional vehicle supply from Australia and New Zealand.
• Caribbean diversity: Many Commonwealth island states drive on the left (RHD) despite proximity to the Americas, where right-driving (LHD) predominates.

These cases don’t change the overall totals but explain why local fleets sometimes include significant numbers of “opposite-hand” vehicles.

Regional patterns

Geography also helps explain the distribution. Most of continental Europe, the Americas, the Middle East, and East Asia are right-driving (LHD). Left-driving (RHD) is concentrated in the United Kingdom and Ireland, South and Southeast Asia (e.g., India, Pakistan, Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia), parts of southern and eastern Africa (e.g., South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania), and in Australia, New Zealand, and several Pacific island nations.

What this means for motorists and trade

For travelers, the car’s steering position should match the local rule of the road for safety and visibility—especially for overtaking and toll booths. For importers and manufacturers, aligning with the local standard simplifies compliance, reduces costs, and supports resale values, although many jurisdictions permit the registration of “opposite-hand” vehicles subject to safety checks.

Summary

Around 141 of 195 sovereign countries—and roughly 163–165 jurisdictions when including territories—standardize on left-hand-drive vehicles because they drive on the right. While exceptions and mixed fleets exist, LHD remains the global norm by country count, population share, and road network coverage.

Are left-hand drive cars illegal in the US?

In the United States of America, it’s legal to drive a right-hand and a left-hand vehicle, but most Americans prefer going on the right. It’s also permissible to convert the left-hand drive to right-hand drive and vice versa; the process is safe but requires a hefty investment, usually around $30,000.

Does China have left-hand drive cars?

No, in mainland China, traffic drives on the right-hand side of the road, not the left. However, the former British colony of Hong Kong, and the former Portuguese colony of Macau, still drive on the left due to their distinct historical and legal frameworks.
 
Driving side in China

• Mainland China: Drives on the right-hand side of the road. 
• Special Administrative Regions: Hong Kong and Macau drive on the left. 

Why the difference?

• Hong Kong . Opens in new tabretained its left-hand traffic system from its time as a British colony, and its traffic rules are protected by a “Basic Law” ensuring its way of life remains unchanged until 2047. 
• Macau . Opens in new tabalso maintained left-hand traffic as a former Portuguese colony. 

Historical Context

• China officially changed to right-hand traffic in 1946. 
• Before the 1946 decision, different regions in China had varying driving rules, with some areas like the Shanghai International Settlement and Japanese-occupied northeast China using left-hand traffic. 

What country switched from left to right driving?

Sweden
‘the right-hand traffic reorganisation’), was on 3 September 1967, the day on which Sweden switched from driving on the left-hand side of the road to the right. The “H” stands for “Högertrafik”, the Swedish word for right-hand traffic. It was by far the largest logistical event in Sweden’s history.

Are any Japanese cars left-hand drive?

Japan is a right hand drive (RHD) country along with the UK and countries that used to be in the British Empire. But there are left-hand-drive (LHD) cars and vans in the Japanese car auctions. Let’s find out why and how to track them down.