Is It Difficult to Drive on the Left Side of the Road?

For most experienced drivers, it’s unfamiliar rather than inherently difficult: expect a tense first few hours, heightened risk at intersections and roundabouts, and a learning curve that typically flattens within a day or two with preparation and caution. Millions of visitors safely adapt each year in countries from the UK and Japan to Australia and South Africa, but the switch tests muscle memory, visual scanning habits, and decision-making in busy traffic.

Where and Why People Drive on the Left

Roughly a quarter of the world’s countries drive on the left, representing about a third of the global population. The pattern reflects historical influences—from British colonial road rules to longstanding local practices in Japan—and persists because road systems, vehicle fleets, and driver training are built around it.

Below is a non-exhaustive list of places where traffic keeps left, grouped for easy reference.

• Europe: United Kingdom, Ireland, Cyprus, Malta
• Asia: Japan, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Hong Kong, Macau
• Oceania: Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Papua New Guinea
• Africa: South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, Mozambique
• Caribbean and others: Jamaica, Barbados, Bahamas, Trinidad and Tobago, Mauritius, Seychelles

Local rules vary—speed limits, signage, and roundabout etiquette differ—so knowing where left-side norms apply helps set expectations before you drive.

What Makes Left-Side Driving Challenging

The main difficulty is not technical skill but habit reversal. Your brain has encoded thousands of right-side decisions; switching sides demands constant, conscious correction—especially when you’re tired or under pressure.

• Habit and lane position: You may drift toward the curb or center line; keeping your body centered in the lane takes practice.
• Vehicle layout: In most left-driving countries, cars are right-hand drive—steering wheel on the right, shifting with the left hand; indicator and wiper stalks may be reversed on some models.
• Visual scanning: Your natural left–right scan for hazards is flipped; judging gaps can feel off at first.
• Intersections and roundabouts: Priority rules invert; roundabouts run clockwise and you yield to traffic already in the circle (approaching from your right in the UK, for example).
• Turning across traffic: Right turns in left-driving countries cross oncoming lanes, increasing complexity and risk.
• Overtaking and multi-lane roads: Passing occurs on the right; lane discipline and mirror use must be relearned.
• Pedestrians and cyclists: People may step out from the “unexpected” side; cyclists can filter through traffic on your right.
• Fatigue and jet lag: Tiredness erodes the focus needed to override ingrained habits.

These challenges are most acute in the first stretch of driving and at complex junctions; once patterns click, routine driving becomes much less stressful.

How Quickly Do Drivers Adapt?

Adaptation is usually rapid: many drivers report that basic lane-keeping feels natural within a few hours of low-stress practice, while complex maneuvers—multi-lane roundabouts, busy city right turns across traffic—may take a day or two to feel comfortable. The learning curve improves with consistent cues (road markings, in-car reminders) and degrades with fatigue or distraction. Novice drivers or those uncomfortable with manual transmissions tend to need more time.

Practical Strategies to Make It Easier

Preparation and simple heuristics reduce the risk dramatically. The following steps help you transition from “conscious effort” to “automatic” more safely.

• Choose an automatic transmission if you’re not confident shifting with your left hand; it frees attention for road positioning.
• Start in low-stress settings: quiet neighborhoods, daylight, good weather; build up to cities and motorways.
• Use a co-driver as a navigator and spotter for lane choices and turns; agree on calm, clear prompts.
• Place physical cues: a small “KEEP LEFT” note on the dash; adjust mirrors meticulously to reinforce lane position.
• Follow local lane discipline: keep left except to overtake; re-enter the left lane promptly after passing.
• Roundabout rule of thumb: in left-driving countries you travel clockwise and yield to traffic already in the circle (usually approaching from your right); signal your exit.
• Leverage navigation with lane guidance; preview junctions in satellite or street views when possible.
• Avoid night driving on day one; plan frequent rest stops to counter jet lag and cognitive load.
• Get familiar with local signs, speed units, and enforcement: the UK uses miles per hour; Ireland and Australia use km/h.
• Consider full insurance and roadside assistance; minor curb strikes and mirror scrapes are common early mistakes.

These habits create a buffer against early errors and help the new patterns settle in faster and more safely.

Special Situations to Watch

Certain road scenarios repeatedly trip up drivers switching sides. Recognizing them ahead of time lets you slow down and execute deliberately.

• Right turns across traffic: Wait patiently for a clear gap; align your vehicle squarely to avoid clipping oncoming lanes.
• Multi-lane roundabouts and complex junctions: Choose the correct approach lane early; follow road markings through the circle.
• One-way streets and car parks: Exits can feel counterintuitive; follow arrows and look both ways before pulling out.
• Rural narrow or single-track roads: Keep left at passing places; yield on blind bends and crests; watch for livestock and cyclists.
• Two-lane overtaking: Pass on the right only with a long, visible gap; avoid overtaking near junctions and hills.
• Pedestrian crossings: People may step from your right; reduce speed near town centers and schools.
• Weather and darkness: Rain and glare can hide lane markings; slow down and increase following distance.

Approaching these “hot spots” with a checklist mindset—slow in, eyes up, confirm priority—pays off disproportionately in safety.

Should You Drive at All?

In some places, public transport, rideshares, or tours are practical alternatives, especially for jet-lagged arrivals or dense urban cores where parking is scarce and enforcement strict. Your itinerary, comfort level, and travel companions should guide the choice.

Here are viable alternatives if you prefer to skip driving until you’ve acclimated.

• Public transit: In cities like London, Tokyo, Singapore, and Sydney, rail networks are fast and extensive.
• Rideshare and taxis: Useful for late arrivals, heavy luggage, or unfamiliar night routes.
• Guided day tours: Efficient for regional highlights without navigation stress.
• Hybrid approach: Use transit in cities, rent a car later for rural segments when rested.

Mixing modes often balances convenience with safety, letting you take the wheel only when conditions suit you.

Summary

Driving on the left is an adjustment, not a mystery. The biggest hurdles are habit reversal and complex junctions, especially early on and when tired. With an automatic car, low-stress practice, clear cues, and disciplined lane and roundabout etiquette, most drivers adapt within a day or two. If conditions aren’t favorable—or you’d rather avoid the learning curve—robust transport alternatives exist in many left-driving countries.

Which side is easier to drive?

There is no compelling data as for which side is “best”, though some academics have postulated that driving on the left side of the road should statistically be safer in theory as humans have a dominant eye and a less dominant eye, and the vast majority of people have dominance in their right eye (same as for arm/hand …

Is it hard to learn left-hand drive?

Quite easy. The only difficult thing is using the opposite hand to shifting . I came from a right hand drive country and had to adapted to left-hand drive when I was in the US, a bit tricky as I used to shift gear with my left hand.

How to stop veering to the left when driving?

When you’re nervous it’s easy to grip the steering wheel tightly. But try not to it’s easier said than done but try to stay relaxed. And just have a light grip as it will help with your steering.

Is it easy to adapt to left-hand drive?

Yes, it shouldn’t be hard to adapt. You’ll already feel weird with driver seat being on a different side and it’ll help remind you that you’re shifting with the opposite hand as well.