Which Countries Drive On The Left Or Right?

Being able to drive in another country during your long awaited holiday is an adventure in itself. Can you imagine yourself holding that steering wheel while traveling in unfamiliar territory? Quite a thrill, right?

However, as we all know, not all countries drive on the same side of the road. Some countries drive on the left side and some countries drive on the right side. So before you jump into this thrilling experience, you need to know first if the country you’re visiting drives on the left or the right side of the road. There is nothing worse (and more dangerous) than driving on the wrong side.

Countries that drive on the left side of the road

When we say that a country is driving on the left side of the road, it means that the steering wheel is located on the right side of the car. Hence, the flow of traffic would be on the left side of the road. In these countries, the rule would be to “keep left” to avoid bumping into other vehicles.

Historically, most countries drive on the left side of the road. The reason for this is that it was the more sensible thing to do during the earlier times. Knights and swordsmen would prefer to be on the left side of the road to keep their right arm free to reach their sword in case an opponent suddenly comes up. They would use their left hand to keep their scabbard out of the way during a fight.

However, at this time, countries that drive on the left hand side of the road now constitute a smaller percentage (roughly 35%) of the world’s population. These countries usually include British colonies. So aside from England, there is the United Kingdom (except Gibraltar and British Indian Ocean Territory), Australia, South Africa, and the Caribbean. This also includes a few countries in Europe including Ireland, Malta, and Cyprus. Asian countries that drive on the left side of the road include India, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Malaysia.

Take note that Japan was not a British colony, however, there was a period during the Edo times that Samurai ruled their country. Again, these are swordsmen, and being on the left side of the road was more practical for them.

Countries that drive on the right side of the road

Driving on the right side means that the steering wheel is located on the left side of the car, the traffic is on the right side, and people are advised to “keep right”. At this time, around 65% of the world’s population belong to this category.

Driving on the right side of the road was first introduced to the world when teamsters in France and the United States were using wagons pulled by several horses to haul farm products. This type of wagon doesn’t have a driver’s seat and the driver had to sit on the left rear horse to keep his right arm free for the horsewhip. Since the driver was sitting on the left side, he would keep to the right side of the road to see everyone else and to steer clear of other wagons.

This “rightism” was later on spread to the other parts of the world by Napoleon, and this started a new revolution to “keep right”. Later on, American cars were designed to drive on the right side of the road. Following the mass production of economical and reliable cars, which were later exported to other countries, the receiving countries had to change their road rules as well, thus adapting to the right movement.

Countries that drive on the right side of the road include France, the United States (except U.S. Virgin Islands), Germany, Greece, Switzerland, Mexico, Brazil, Mainland China, North and South Korea, and most countries in the world.

If you want to know more about which countries drive on the left or right, here is a complete list:

How Difficult Is It to Adapt to Right Hand Drive to Left Hand and Vice Versa?

Driving involves a lot of muscle memory, and if you suddenly change from driving on the left side of the road to the opposite side, it would be quite difficult, at least for the first few kilometers. Of course, if you have been driving for years, you would have already formed quite a few habits.

However, driving on the other side of the road is highly achievable. It just needs a few preparations. Perhaps, if you’re planning to rent a car during your next visit to another country (which drives on the opposite side), you can start training yourself so that when you arrive, you will have already gotten used to the idea.