Why Some Countries Drive on the Left

They drive on the left largely because of historical habits and imperial legacies: medieval travel norms favored left-side passing in parts of Europe, Britain later codified left-hand traffic and exported it through its empire, and a handful of countries such as Japan adopted left-side rules for their own reasons; as a result, roughly a quarter of the world’s countries and about a third of its population still drive on the left today.

Centuries of Habit: How the Split Began

The global divide between left-hand traffic (LHT) and right-hand traffic (RHT) predates the car by hundreds of years. In crowded pre‑modern streets, riders, carriage drivers, and pedestrians developed conventions to avoid collisions and keep weapons—or whips—on the more convenient side. Those habits hardened into law in the 18th and 19th centuries, then spread via revolution, industrialization, and empire.

From swords to statutes: Britain’s left-hand lineage

In medieval and early modern Europe, travelers often kept left so that right-handed people could pass oncoming strangers with their sword arm toward the centerline. Britain eventually formalized that practice: a series of local rules culminated in the Highway Act of 1835, which mandated keeping left across the United Kingdom. As the British Empire expanded, this rule traveled with it, shaping traffic in places from India and southern Africa to Australia and New Zealand.

Why many others went right

Continental Europe shifted the other way around the time of the French Revolution, when authorities promoted right-side travel. Napoleon exported that standard across much of Europe. In the United States, large freight wagons were driven from the left rear horse, which gave drivers better visibility if they kept to the right—another practical push toward RHT. By the early 20th century, most of continental Europe and the Americas had converged on right-hand traffic.

Key Moments That Shaped the Map

The following milestones illustrate how law, technology, and geopolitics fixed today’s left/right pattern on the roads. They show the long arc from informal street customs to nationwide regulations that still influence how people drive.

• 1792: Pennsylvania enacted a keep-right rule on a major turnpike, an early example in the United States.
• 1835: Britain’s Highway Act mandated left-hand traffic across the UK, later exported through empire.
• Late 18th–early 19th centuries: Revolutionary France and Napoleonic administration pushed right-hand traffic across much of Europe.
• Early 20th century: Japan codified left-side road traffic nationwide, influenced by earlier left-running railways built with British expertise and long-standing local customs.
• 1967: Sweden’s “Dagen H” switch from left to right modernized its network and harmonized with neighbors.
• 2009: Samoa switched from right to left to align with car imports and regional driving norms in Australia and New Zealand.

Taken together, these decisions cemented the current global patchwork: former British territories largely kept left, while most of Europe and the Americas standardized on right-hand traffic.

Where People Drive on the Left Today

Left-hand traffic survives where those rules were either homegrown or inherited—and where neighbors and trade patterns make it practical to keep them. The regions below list prominent LHT countries and territories you’re likely to encounter.

• Europe: United Kingdom, Ireland, Cyprus, Malta; Hong Kong and Macao (Chinese special administrative regions) also drive left despite mainland China driving right.
• Asia-Pacific: Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Brunei, Australia, New Zealand, Timor-Leste.
• South Asia: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal.
• Africa: South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mauritius, Seychelles.
• Middle East: Cyprus (listed above) and a few territories; most of the Middle East drives on the right.
• Caribbean and Atlantic: Jamaica, Barbados, Bahamas, Trinidad and Tobago, and several smaller territories; Guyana and Suriname in South America also drive left.
• Oceania and Pacific Islands: Fiji, Samoa, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tonga, and others.

In broad terms, around three-quarters of countries and territories drive on the right, while roughly 75 or so drive on the left; by population, about one-third of people live in LHT jurisdictions.

When Countries Switched Sides—and Why

Switches are rare and complicated. When they happen, they’re usually driven by safety, regional trade alignment, or the availability and cost of vehicles.

1. Sweden (1967): Moved from left to right to harmonize with neighboring countries and reduce cross-border confusion; a highly planned, overnight change known as “Dagen H.”
2. Iceland (1968): Followed Sweden’s lead to align with Europe and modernize road safety standards.
3. Myanmar (1970): Shifted from left to right by decree; many vehicles remained right-hand-drive for years, complicating visibility when overtaking.
4. Sierra Leone (1971), Nigeria (1972), Ghana (1974): West African countries switched to match right-driving neighbors and facilitate regional transport.
5. Samoa (2009): Switched from right to left so residents could import cheaper right-hand-drive cars from Australia and New Zealand and to align with regional norms.

These cases underscore the logistical and economic stakes: changing sides affects road markings, signs, intersections, vehicle fleets, and public behavior, so most countries avoid it unless benefits are clear.

Not Just Empire: Japan and Other Exceptions

Japan

Japan’s left-hand rule has multiple roots. Samurai-era traffic customs favored left-side passing, and when railways arrived in the 19th century—built with British guidance—they ran on the left. Road regulations later aligned nationwide, and Japan remains a major producer of right-hand-drive vehicles for LHT markets.

Thailand and Southeast Asia

Thailand, never colonized by Europe, kept left through regional influence and early infrastructure patterns. Nearby Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia inherited left-side traffic through British or Dutch-era practices and continuity after independence.

Is One Side Safer?

There’s no inherent safety advantage to left- versus right-hand traffic when roads, vehicles, and rules are aligned. What matters is consistency: drivers should sit on the side of the car nearest the centerline (RHD vehicles in LHT countries, LHD in RHT countries), road design should match local norms, and enforcement and education should be strong. Mismatches—such as importing vehicles with the “wrong” driving position, or tourists using unfamiliar habits—can raise risk at junctions and during overtaking.

Practical Tips If You’re Visiting a Left-Driving Country

Switching sides can be disorienting at first. These basics help travelers adapt quickly and safely when driving or crossing streets in an LHT jurisdiction.

• Choose the correct vehicle: Rent a right-hand-drive car in LHT countries so you sit near the road centerline for better overtaking visibility.
• Roundabouts and turns: In LHT, roundabouts flow clockwise; turn left into the near lane and turn right across oncoming traffic.
• Pedestrian habits: Look right first, then left when crossing; use pedestrian signals where available.
• Headlights and mirrors: Ensure headlights are aimed for LHT to avoid dazzling oncoming traffic; adjust mirrors to compensate for new sightlines.
• Border quirks: Some crossings include grade-separated “crossover” structures to flip sides safely (for example, between Hong Kong/Macao and mainland China, or Thailand and Laos at certain bridges).
• Practice and pacing: Start with quieter roads, avoid fatigue, and follow local lane markings and signage closely.

Even experienced drivers benefit from a short adjustment period; focusing on lane discipline, signage, and local driving patterns reduces errors during the first days.

Bottom Line

Countries that drive on the left do so because history set them there—via medieval customs, British law and empire, and a few independent choices such as Japan’s—while others standardized on the right through French and American influence. Neither side is inherently better; what matters is consistency, design, and driver familiarity. The result is a resilient global split that persists because changing it is costly and rarely worth the disruption.

Summary

Left-side driving survives as a legacy of historical norms and colonial influence, chiefly from Britain, and through deliberate choices in places like Japan. Most of the world drives on the right due to French, American, and continental European standardization. Modern safety depends more on coherent vehicle configurations, infrastructure, and driver training than on which side of the road a country chooses.

Why do other countries drive on the left side of the road?

Countries were still changing their minds. Yes at 6:00 a.m on September 7th 2009 in the tiny island nation of Samoa. A voice crackled over the radio.

Why does France drive on the right?

France drives on the right due to changes stemming from the French Revolution, which made driving on the right a rule for the general population, and was later popularized by Napoleon Bonaparte across his conquests. Before the revolution, the wealthier classes in France often drove on the left, forcing the poor to the right. After the revolution, the upper classes adopted the right side to blend in, and this practice was enforced and spread by Napoleon’s military campaigns across Europe.
 
Pre-Revolutionary Practices

• Aristocratic privilege: In pre-revolutionary France, the aristocracy preferred to drive their carriages on the left side of the road, forcing commoners and peasants to the right. 
• Class distinction: This left-hand driving was a symbol of wealth and status, a contrast to the pedestrian, working-class people who kept to the right. 

The French Revolution’s Impact

• Social change: The French Revolution led to a desire to eliminate class distinctions and symbols of the old regime. 
• Right-hand rule: To achieve this, driving on the right became the norm for everyone, including the former aristocrats who now had to merge with the general population. 

Napoleon’s Role

• Military necessity: Napoleon’s massive armies and the logistical needs of moving artillery and supplies required standardized road usage. 
• Spreading the rule: When Napoleon conquered and influenced much of continental Europe, he brought the French custom of right-hand traffic with him, solidifying it across the continent. 

Therefore, while the initial shift began with the French Revolution as a move towards social equality, it was Napoleon’s widespread military and political influence that firmly established right-hand driving in France and much of Europe.

Why doesn’t the US 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. 

Why doesn’t Canada drive on the left side of the road?

Canada doesn’t drive on the left because most of the country switched to the right-hand side of the road in the 1920s to align with the United States, its major trading partner and destination for a majority of travelers. This decision was made for economic, safety, and logistical reasons, particularly after Canadian provinces realized the chaos of having differing driving rules and roads were built to connect Canada and the U.S. 
Reasons for the Switch

• Alignment with the U.S.: Canada’s economy and traffic are heavily linked with the United States, which drove on the right. Switching to the right allowed for more efficient cross-border trade and travel. 
• Logistics and Interoperability: The development of roads connecting Canada and the U.S. made it necessary to standardize traffic flow to prevent accidents and facilitate travel. 
• Pre-existing French Influence: While much of Canada was under British influence (which originally drove on the left), the French-speaking province of Quebec already drove on the right. 
• The Automobile: The mass production of American cars, with steering wheels on the left, naturally made it easier and safer for drivers to see traffic when on the right side of the road. 

A Brief History 

• Before the automobile, different parts of Canada drove on either the left or the right, depending on their historical colonial background (British or French).
• In the early 20th century, as roads were built to connect regions and the border, the existing system became chaotic.
• Provinces began switching to the right, with British Columbia being the last major province to make the change in 1922.