Why Americans Drive Left-Hand-Drive Cars (and Keep Right)

Americans use left-hand-drive cars because the United States standardized right-side road travel in the late 18th and 19th centuries, and automakers later put the steering wheel on the left to give drivers a better view of oncoming traffic. The practice grew from freight-wagon habits into state traffic laws; then mass-market cars—especially Ford’s 1908 Model T—cemented left-hand drive as the norm. A few work vehicles (like many USPS trucks) are exceptions.

From wagons to written rules: how right-hand traffic took hold

In early America, road customs were inconsistent, influenced by British left-side practice and local needs. On the expanding frontier, large freight wagons (such as Conestogas) had teamsters who walked or rode the left-rear horse and wielded a whip in the right hand. Keeping to the right let drivers meet oncoming wagons left-to-left, improving control and sightlines. This practical norm began appearing in law: Pennsylvania required right-side travel on the Philadelphia–Lancaster Turnpike in 1792; New York mandated it in 1804, New Jersey in 1813, and other states followed through the 19th century. By the time automobiles arrived, “keep right” was the American standard.

Why the steering wheel moved to the left

Early cars often copied carriage conventions and sometimes placed the driver on the right. But as speeds rose and right-side traffic became universal in the U.S., makers shifted the steering wheel to the left to improve visibility down the centerline. Several manufacturers experimented with left-hand drive in the early 1900s, and Ford’s 1908 Model T popularized it nationwide. By the 1910s, most U.S. automakers had standardized left-hand drive, aligning vehicle design with the country’s right-hand traffic.

How left-hand drive fits right-hand roads

The logic for placing the driver on the left in a right-driving country is largely about safety, sightlines, and everyday convenience. The following points outline the main advantages engineers and regulators emphasize.

• Improved view of the centerline and oncoming traffic, aiding lane positioning and hazard detection.
• Clearer judgment when overtaking and making left turns across traffic.
• Passenger doors on the curb side (right side of the vehicle) promote safer boarding and exiting on city streets.
• Consistency across states and borders (Canada and Mexico also drive on the right), simplifying travel and vehicle standards.

Together, these factors reinforced left-hand drive as the safest, most practical match for the U.S. road network and its right-side traffic rules.

Exceptions that prove the rule

Although private cars are overwhelmingly left-hand drive, some American vehicles use right-hand drive for job-specific reasons or under special import rules. Here are the most common cases.

• United States Postal Service: Many rural and curbside-delivery trucks are right-hand drive so carriers can reach roadside mailboxes without leaving the vehicle.
• Municipal service vehicles: Refuse trucks and street sweepers often place the driver on the curb side for better visibility and safer curb work.
• Specialty and imported vehicles: Right-hand-drive models can be legally imported if they meet safety standards, and classics 25 years or older are exempt from many federal compliance requirements.

These exceptions are functional niches; they don’t alter the broader consumer market, where left-hand drive remains the default.

Where the U.S. stands globally

About 70% of the world’s population drives on the right, including the U.S., Canada, and most of mainland Europe, while the U.K., Ireland, Australia, Japan, and others keep left. The American right-driving, left-hand-drive pairing matches most of the Western Hemisphere, reducing friction in manufacturing, regulations, and cross-border travel.

Could the U.S. ever switch?

Practically speaking, no. The cost of reengineering vehicles, signage, intersections, driver education, and habits—along with the sheer size of the network—makes a switch prohibitive. Network effects lock in the current system.

Summary

The U.S. drives on the right because of 18th-century freight-wagon practices that evolved into state traffic laws. As cars took over, manufacturers placed the steering wheel on the left to suit right-side roads, a choice popularized by the 1908 Ford Model T and widely adopted by the 1910s. Left-hand drive offers better centerline visibility and operational safety in right-hand traffic, and, aside from job-specific exceptions like USPS vehicles, it remains the nationwide standard.

What is the reason for left-hand driving?

We drive on the left because of a combination of ancient safety customs and historical political influences, with the practice likely originating from the need for right-handed people to keep their sword-wielding hand free when on horseback or walking, a rule that was eventually formalized in countries like Britain and then spread to its colonies. While the ancient practice of keeping left was widespread, the push for right-hand traffic gained momentum in 18th-century France and later spread across Europe through Napoleon’s influence.
 
Ancient Origins

• Right-Handed Advantage: Opens in new tabMany historians believe that people in the Roman Empire and the Middle Ages kept to the left side of the road to allow themselves to use their dominant (right) hand to defend against oncoming travelers or enemies. 
• Horseback Riding: Opens in new tabMounting a horse is easier from the left side, keeping the rider’s dominant hand free to draw a sword. 

Formalization and Spread

• British Law: Left-hand traffic was formalized in Britain with legislation in 1773 and 1835. 
• Colonial Influence: As Britain and France colonized different parts of the world, they took their respective driving customs with them, resulting in a global split between left-hand and right-hand driving countries. 
• Napoleon’s Influence: Napoleon was influential in popularizing right-hand traffic, and his military campaigns spread this practice across much of continental Europe. 
• Modern Landscape: Today, many former British territories, such as Australia, India, and South Africa, drive on the left, while most of the rest of the world drives on the right. 

Why the Distinction Matters

• Standardization: There is no inherent advantage to left or right-hand driving, but consistency is crucial for efficient transportation. 
• Global Norm: Over time, as motor traffic became more common, driving on the same side as the majority of the world became the norm. 

Why is the US left-hand drive?

Drive but drive on the left side of the road. Because back when donkeys were the primary mode of transport. They were trained to pass each other on the left.

Is America the only country with left-hand drive?

Around 64 countries drive on the left-hand side of the road while the rest of the world drives on the right. In Europe, very few countries drive on the left like we do. These are The Channel Islands, Cyprus, Ireland, the Isle of Man and Malta.

When did the US switch to left-hand drive?

Thus, most American cars produced before 1910 were made with right-side driver seating, although intended for right-side driving. Such vehicles remained in common use until 1915, and the 1908 Model T was the first of Ford’s cars to feature a left-side driving position.