Why the UK Drives on the Left — And Who Else Does

No — the UK is not alone. Roughly a third of the world’s population, spread across about 75 countries and territories, drives on the left, including Ireland, Japan, Australia, India, much of Southern and East Africa, and several Caribbean and Pacific nations. The pattern largely reflects historical ties to the British Empire and legacy infrastructure choices, though there are notable independent cases such as Japan. Here’s how the global split looks, why it happened, and where left meets right at today’s borders.

Where left-hand driving is common today

Left-hand traffic (LHT) is geographically clustered, particularly in South and Southeast Asia, Oceania, parts of Africa, and the Caribbean. While most countries today are right-hand traffic (RHT), LHT remains widespread and includes several large-population nations.

The following list highlights the main regions where people drive on the left and names representative countries and territories in each.

• Europe
  

  • United Kingdom, Ireland
  • Malta, Cyprus
  • Gibraltar, Isle of Man, Channel Islands

• Asia
  

  • Japan
  • South Asia: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives
  • Southeast Asia: Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Brunei, Timor-Leste
  • Special administrative regions: Hong Kong, Macau (left), even though mainland China is right

• Oceania
  

  • Australia, New Zealand
  • Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga

• Africa
  

  • Southern/Eastern Africa: South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Lesotho, Eswatini, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda
  • Indian Ocean: Mauritius, Seychelles

• Americas & Caribbean
  

  • Caribbean: Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Bahamas, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Turks and Caicos, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, British Virgin Islands
  • Mainland South America: Guyana, Suriname
  • Other territories: Falkland Islands; U.S. Virgin Islands (left, despite U.S. federal affiliation)

Taken together, these regions account for a sizable share of global road users. In population terms, about a third of the world’s people live under LHT rules, even though most land area and countries are RHT.

How the split happened

The global divide stems from layered history: pre-motor customs, imperial influence, legal codification, and 20th-century standardization. While the British Empire spread left-hand norms to many colonies, other states adopted right-hand rules influenced by continental Europe and the United States.

The points below outline the main forces that determined which side different countries chose.

• Pre-industrial habits: In medieval Europe, travelers often kept left to keep their sword arm (usually the right hand) toward oncoming traffic.
• Napoleonic and continental influence: Many European countries standardized on right-hand travel in the 18th–19th centuries, a model later mirrored across the Americas.
• British imperial legacy: The UK’s left-hand convention became law across much of its empire, shaping modern LHT in South Asia, parts of Africa, Oceania, and the Caribbean.
• Independent choices: Japan adopted left-hand railways in the 1870s and later standardized left-hand road traffic nationwide, independent of British rule.
• Motor age and safety: As traffic volumes grew, countries codified a single rule nationwide, aligning vehicle design (steering wheel placement) and road engineering to one side.

Once roads, vehicles, and driver training are built around one side, switching is costly and disruptive — which is why changes are rare and meticulously planned.

Notable switches of driving side

Though uncommon, some countries and regions have switched sides to harmonize with neighbors or for policy and safety reasons. The examples below are among the best-documented changes.

1. Sweden (1967): “Dagen H” moved traffic from left to right in a single day to match surrounding countries.
2. Iceland (1968): Switched from left to right the year after Sweden, aligning with continental practice.
3. Myanmar (1970): Changed from left to right by decree; many vehicles remained right-hand-drive for years, complicating safety.
4. Nigeria (1972): Transitioned from left to right to align with West African neighbors.
5. Okinawa, Japan (1978): After U.S. occupation (right-hand traffic), the prefecture reverted to Japan’s left-hand standard (“730” changeover).
6. Samoa (2009): Switched from right to left to ease vehicle imports from Australia/New Zealand and the wider LHT Pacific.

These changeovers required new signage, reconfigured intersections, driver retraining, and public information campaigns — often executed in carefully staged phases or overnight switchover events.

Border quirks and exceptions

Where LHT meets RHT, special infrastructure and rules smooth the transition for drivers. Some jurisdictions also maintain different driving sides from their sovereign state’s mainland.

Here are some of the most notable left–right interfaces and exceptions.

• China–Hong Kong/Macau: Mainland China is right-hand traffic; Hong Kong and Macau are left. Cross-border bridges and ports of entry use flyovers and lane crossovers to switch sides safely.
• Thailand–Laos/Cambodia/Myanmar: Thailand drives left; its neighbors drive right. Major crossings feature grade-separated side swaps and dedicated signage.
• U.S. Virgin Islands: Drive on the left despite U.S. federal ties; most vehicles are left-hand-drive, which places drivers near the curb.
• Channel Tunnel and Eurotunnel terminals: British left-side traffic interfaces with right-side French roads via controlled, one-way systems.

These engineered transitions — from lane crossovers to checkpoint designs — help maintain safety where systems differ, especially for freight and commuter traffic.

Vehicles and infrastructure

In LHT countries, vehicles are typically right-hand drive (RHD), placing the driver closer to the road center for better sightlines when overtaking. Road design, signage placement, bus doors, and roundabout flow are all oriented around the chosen side. Import policies often favor the steering configuration that matches local rules, though exceptions exist in border regions and island territories.

Summary

It is not just the UK that drives on the left: about a third of the world’s population across roughly 75 countries and territories does too, notably in South and Southeast Asia, Oceania, parts of Africa, Japan, and many Caribbean islands. The pattern reflects historical legacies, especially British influence, and has proven durable because switching sides is complex and costly. Where left meets right, dedicated border infrastructure keeps traffic flowing safely between systems.

Why is England the only country that drives on the left?

Keeping left only became a rule of the road and a legal requirement when there was an increase in horse-drawn traffic. Riding on the left was made mandatory in 1756 for travellers using London Bridge, in 1772 for towns in Scotland and in 1835 for all roads in Great Britain and Ireland.

Why doesn’t the USA drive on the left?

The United States drives on the right because right-hand travel was the norm in Colonial America due to the use of large wagons and practical reasons like ditch avoidance. This custom was codified into law, with New York making it mandatory for public highways in 1804, and it predates the American Revolution, not being an act of rebellion against Britain. 
Early American Practices

• Wagon Drivers: Opens in new tabIn the 18th century, large, heavy freight wagons became popular in the U.S. Drivers often sat on the left rear horse to better manage the team with their right hand and used their right arm to whip the horses, requiring them to keep to the right to avoid ditches and manage the whip more effectively. 
• Right-Handedness: Opens in new tabAs most people are right-handed, keeping to the right also allowed pedestrians and horseback riders to keep their dominant sword arm free for defense against potential threats on the road. 

Legal Standardization 

• Pennsylvania: Opens in new tabThe state of Pennsylvania was an early adopter of right-hand travel, legislating it for its turnpikes in 1792.
• New York: Opens in new tabNew York was the first state to prescribe right-hand travel on all public highways in 1804, establishing a standard that other states soon followed.

Distinction from British and Ancient Traditions

• Colonial Opposition: Right-hand travel in America was not an opposition to British rule but rather a separate path of development. Britain’s left-hand driving law was established in 1773, while right-hand travel had already become the norm in the American colonies. 
• Ancient Origins: While ancient Romans drove on the left, often to keep their sword arm free, early American practices diverged from this due to different transportation methods and societal needs, such as the need to manage large, four-horse teams with a driver seated on the left side of the wagon. 

Which countries drive on the left in Europe?

The Channel Islands, Ireland, The Isle of Man, Cyprus, and Malta are the only European countries that also drive on the left. If you’re hiring a car on a European holiday anywhere except for these places, you’ll need to be confident driving on the opposite side of the road.

Why do Americans and Brits drive on opposite sides?

The US drives on the right and the UK on the left due to their differing historical origins, with the British tradition of left-hand driving rooted in medieval sword-fighting, where right-handed knights kept their sword-hand near the center of the road, and the American adoption of right-hand driving linked to the needs of farmers using large, horse-drawn wagons. The colonists in America chose to drive on the right, a departure from British custom, to establish their own traditions and manage the large teams of horses they used for their heavy loads. 
British Left-Hand Driving

• Historical Roots: The practice dates back centuries to when horse riders and pedestrians kept to the left side of the road. 
• Self-Defense: Right-handed knights and horsemen kept to the left to have their sword hand free to defend themselves against oncoming threats. 
• Practicality for Carriages: In the 18th century, drivers often rode on the left-hand horse of a team to control the team with a whip in their right hand. 
• Legislation: The British Highway Act of 1835 officially established nationwide left-hand driving, a rule that was also adopted by its colonies around the world. 

American Right-Hand Driving

• Colonial Innovations: The American colonies developed right-hand driving due to the popularity of large, heavy Conestoga wagons. 
• Wagon Design: To control the team of horses and judge the distance to passing wagons, the driver sat on the left wheel horse, placing the whip hand free to the center of the road. 
• Independence from British Rule: After the American Revolution, the practice of driving on the right was seen as a way to break with established British conventions. 
• Influence of Henry Ford: The introduction of the left-hand drive Model T in 1908 further cemented right-hand driving in the US, as it made it easier for passengers to exit onto the sidewalk and for the driver to see oncoming traffic.