How many European countries drive on the left?
Four. In Europe, only the United Kingdom, Ireland, Cyprus, and Malta drive on the left; the rest of the continent drives on the right. This pattern reflects a mix of historical practice, island geography, and legacy of British influence.
Contents
Who drives on the left in Europe
The following list names the sovereign European countries that currently maintain left-hand traffic, meaning vehicles keep to the left and the driver’s seat is on the right side of the car.
- United Kingdom
- Ireland
- Cyprus
- Malta
These four nations form the complete set of left-driving countries in Europe today; all other European countries use right-hand traffic.
Not-quite-countries and special cases
Beyond sovereign states, several European territories and dependencies also drive on the left due to administrative ties to the UK or local tradition. These do not change the country count but are relevant for travelers.
- Isle of Man (Crown Dependency)
- Jersey and Guernsey, including Sark and Alderney (Crown Dependencies)
- Gibraltar (UK Overseas Territory on the Iberian Peninsula)
- Akrotiri and Dhekelia (UK Sovereign Base Areas on Cyprus)
While these jurisdictions follow left-hand traffic, they are not independent countries; at land borders (for example, Gibraltar–Spain), drivers must adjust immediately to right-hand traffic on the neighboring state’s roads.
How Europe largely standardized on the right
Most of continental Europe adopted right-hand traffic during the 20th century, with a few notable late transitions that attracted international attention.
Modern-era switches from left to right
The changes below highlight the last major nationwide shifts in Europe, which completed the continent’s broad alignment on right-hand traffic.
- Sweden — switched from left to right on 3 September 1967 (the “Dagen H” changeover)
- Iceland — switched from left to right on 26 May 1968
- Austria — switched from left to right in 1938 following the Anschluss
- Czech lands (then Czechoslovakia; later the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia) — completed switch to right in 1939
Earlier in the 20th century, several European countries and even individual cities standardized from mixed or left-hand rules to right-hand traffic; by the late 1960s, only the British Isles and certain island states still drove on the left.
Why these four still drive on the left
All four countries are islands (or island-based) with strong historical ties to the United Kingdom. Their traffic systems evolved with British practice, and geographic separation reduced pressure to harmonize with continental Europe. Cyprus and Malta, both former British colonies and now EU members, maintained left-hand traffic after independence.
Practical tips if you’re driving there
Travelers crossing into or renting cars in left-driving European jurisdictions should keep a few operational details in mind to stay safe and comply with local rules.
- Expect right-hand-drive vehicles (steering wheel on the right) in the UK, Ireland, Cyprus, and Malta.
- Roundabouts run clockwise; yield to traffic from the right, and keep left unless overtaking on multi-lane roads.
- Border transitions can be abrupt: for example, Gibraltar (left) to Spain (right) changes immediately at the crossing.
- Adjust headlights if bringing a car from a right-driving country to avoid dazzling oncoming traffic.
- Pedestrians: look right first when stepping off the curb; cyclists should keep left and overtake on the right.
With a little preparation—especially around roundabouts, lane discipline, and border crossings—drivers can adapt quickly to left-hand traffic in these countries.
Sources and verification
Current traffic-side rules are confirmed by national highway codes and transport authorities (e.g., the UK Highway Code, Ireland’s Road Safety Authority, and the transport ministries of Cyprus and Malta), as well as international overviews maintained by road-safety organizations. The historical switch dates for Sweden (1967) and Iceland (1968) are widely documented by those governments and contemporary news archives; Austria’s 1938 and the Czech lands’ 1939 transitions are recorded in official legal changes of the period.
Summary
Four European countries—United Kingdom, Ireland, Cyprus, and Malta—drive on the left. A handful of territories do likewise, but the rest of Europe drives on the right, a standard cemented by mid-20th-century changeovers such as Sweden’s in 1967 and Iceland’s in 1968.
Why did Sweden originally drive on the left?
Sweden drove on the left because, historically, most other European countries and neighbors like Norway and Finland drove on the right, making it increasingly inconvenient, especially with rising car ownership. Many Swedish cars were left-hand drive, which is not optimal for left-hand traffic and was more dangerous when crossing borders. Therefore, in 1967, Sweden switched to driving on the right, a change known as Dagen H (“Day H” for Hoger, the Swedish word for right).
Reasons for the switch to right-hand driving
- Continental alignment: Sweden was a “left-hand driving island” in a “sea of right-hand-driving” countries, making traffic flow difficult at borders.
- Car design: The majority of passenger cars in Sweden, including popular Swedish brands like Volvo, were left-hand drive. Driving on the left with a left-hand drive car presented safety concerns because the driver had a poorer view of oncoming traffic, especially when overtaking.
- Safety concerns: Authorities believed the arrangement of left-hand drive cars on the left side of the road contributed to traffic accidents and hoped the change would reduce them.
- Government decision: Despite a 1955 national referendum where 83% of Swedes voted against the switch, the Swedish Parliament overruled the result and mandated the change to driving on the right in 1963, with the changeover happening in 1967.
The changeover in 1967
- Dagen H: The transition took place on September 3, 1967, a day known as Dagen H.
- Logistical challenge: The change was a massive logistical undertaking, requiring months of planning and involving thousands of police and military personnel to change road signs and markings.
- Positive results: The day of the switch saw a temporary drop in fatal accidents, and the trend continued with an 18% decrease in fatal crashes that year, according to this YouTube video.
Why does Japan drive on left?
Japan drives on the left due to historical Samurai customs where swords were worn on the left hip, and British influence, particularly through the adoption of left-hand railway systems by British engineers during the country’s modernization. While Samurai practices established a tradition of left-side passage, the formalization of left-hand traffic was solidified with the development of the Japanese railway system and was later legally enforced.
Samurai Traditions
- Sword-Carrying: In the Samurai era, warriors typically wore their swords on their left hip for easy access with their dominant right hand.
- Collision Prevention: Walking on the right side of a narrow road would have caused their swords to clash, leading to an accidental provocation or injury.
- Peaceful Coexistence: To avoid these conflicts, Samurai and the general populace established the custom of walking on the left, which was widely practiced before cars were even invented.
British Influence
- Railway Development: Japan’s first railways were built with the technical assistance of British engineers.
- Left-Hand Railway Practice: As with British railways, these were designed for left-hand traffic.
- Legal Enforcement: This left-side practice was then formalized and enforced by Japanese law, beginning with horse-drawn vehicles in the 1870s and eventually extending to all traffic.
Consolidated Practice
- Formalization of Traffic Laws: By 1900, left-side traffic was officially part of the traffic laws.
- Cultural Norm: The historical Samurai custom and the adoption of the British railway model both contributed to Japan’s consistent left-hand driving system, which remains in place today.
How many African countries drive on the left?
There are 14 African countries that drive on the left side of the road, including Botswana, Eswatini, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. These countries were largely former British colonies that adopted left-hand traffic rules, though Mozambique was a former Portuguese colony that also drives on the left.
List of African Countries that Drive on the Left:
- Botswana
- Eswatini (formerly Swaziland)
- Kenya
- Lesotho
- Malawi
- Mauritius
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- Seychelles
- South Africa
- Tanzania
- Uganda
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
What countries in Europe drive on the left?
Today, four countries in Europe continue to use LHT, all island nations: the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland (formerly part of the UK), Cyprus and Malta (both former British colonies).
