Why some countries drive on the left side of the road

76 countries drive on the left side of the road

A custom that originated in Ancient Rome

The practice extended to medieval Europe

In the 1700s sides varied depending on local customs

The UK and France had opposite driving laws

Henry Ford’s Model T: an influential factor

Other countries in Europe that changed lanes

Former British colonies in Africa that abandoned left side driving

The country that switched from right to left

76 countries drive on the left side of the road

The majority of countries in the world drive on the right side of the road. However, there are still a fair amount (76 countries per Statista) who drive on the left.

A custom that originated in Ancient Rome

The reason why these countries drive on the left side of the road can be traced back to Ancient Rome, when people drove charriots.

The practice extended to medieval Europe

According to History.com, archeological evidence has suggested that Romans drove their charriots on the left side of the road and that the practice then carried over to some medieval parts of Europe.

Photo: Karthik BK/Unsplash

A matter of safety and self defense

Historians believe that Romans drove on the left side of the road as a matter of safety: because most people are right handed, driving on the left side would have allowed them to wield a weapon with their dominant hand if they crossed paths with an enemy.

Photo: Jonathan Kemper/Unsplash

In the 1700s sides varied depending on local customs

Later, in the 18th century, horse and wagon traffic was so light that the decision to drive on the left or right side of the road often varied according to local custom.

The UK and France had opposite driving laws

However, at the end of the 18th century, left hand driving became a law in Britain, but funnily, opposite lanes where established in France, where the law became right hand driving after the French revolution.

Photo: Elimende Inagella/Unsplash

The French Revolution “changed lanes”

Before the revolution, the French aristocracy used to drive on the left, while peasants had to drive on the right, but after the revolution, the nobles joined the rest of the people on the right side of the road, according to historian Amy Shira Teitel.

A custom exported to colonies

These two countries later exported their driving styles to their respective colonies, which is why many former British territories such as Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and India still drive on the left side of the road.

Photo: Fabian Mardi/Unsplash

Why Canada went from left to right

In the case of Canada (a former British colony), however, driving changed from left to right in the 1920s, mainly to facilitate traffic to and from the United States.

Photo: Yousef Hussein/Unsplash

Henry Ford’s Model T: an influential factor

Another major influence was the arrival of the famous automobile Model T in 1908 made by carmaker Henry Ford, who mass-produced the car with a left-positioned steering wheel, making driving on the right side of the road a necessity.

Other countries in Europe that changed lanes

And Canada was not the only country who changed from left to right in the 1920s. Other countries in Europe that previously drove on the left side of the road, changed to the right side, such as Spain in 1924, Italy and Portugal in 1926.

Photo: Florian Wehde/Unsplash

Hungary and Checoslovaquia

Moreover, during World War II, Hitler forced Checoslovaquia and Hungary to change from left to right side driving.

Sweden’s H-Day

After that, in 1967, Sweden also made a change from left to right hand side driving overnight, specifically on September 3. The date is even remembered as H-Day, short for "Högertrafik", the Swedish word for right-hand traffic.

Why did Sweden changed lanes?

The decision from Swedish authorities had two main reasons. First, that bordering Finland had changed from left to right, and second, that Volvo, the biggest Swedish car manufacturer made driving seats in the left for ease of export to the rest of Europe.

Photo: Fred Sprinkle/Unsplash

A rise in traffic accidents

That meant that Swedes drove from a left seat, in the left side of the road, which meant that their visibility wasn’t good and was actually leading to a rise in traffic accidents.

Photo: Boston public library/Unsplash

Former British colonies in Africa that abandoned left side driving

After Sweden, Iceland followed, and then, in the 1970s, two African countries that were former British colonies (Nigeria and Ghana) also abandoned left side driving and moved to the right.

Photo: Opeyemi Adisa/Unsplash

The country that switched from right to left

But one country did the opposite. As recently as 2009, Samoa became the first country in more than 40 years to switch from right to left side driving, given most of their cars are imported by left-side driving countries, such as, Australia, New Zealand and Japan, according to The Guardian.

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