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Left- and right-hand traffic facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Countries driving on the left or right
Countries by handedness of road traffic, c. 2019      Left-hand traffic     Right-hand traffic

Have you ever noticed that in some countries, cars drive on the left side of the road, while in others, they drive on the right? This is called left-hand traffic (LHT) or right-hand traffic (RHT). It's a basic rule that helps traffic flow smoothly and safely.

Most countries, about 165 of them, use RHT. The other 75 countries use LHT. Countries with LHT make up about one-sixth of the world's land area. They also have about one-third of the world's people and one-quarter of its roads. A long time ago, in 1919, the number of LHT and RHT countries was almost equal. But since then, many LHT countries have switched to RHT.

Many countries that drive on the left used to be part of the British Empire. But some, like Japan, Thailand, Indonesia, and Suriname, were not. On the other hand, many countries that drive on the right were once part of the French colonial empire.

For trains, LHT is common in Western Europe (except Germany, Denmark, Austria, Spain, and the Netherlands). It's also common in Latin America (except Mexico) and in countries that were part of the British and French Empires. Trains in North America and Central and Eastern Europe usually use RHT.

Riverine Patrol Boat Cockpit Console
Boats are often steered from the right side. This helps them follow rules about who has the right-of-way.

Even on water, there are rules similar to RHT. According to international rules for ships, boats in narrow channels must keep to the right side. When two power-driven boats meet head-on, both must turn to their right. For airplanes, rules in the US suggest RHT principles, both in the air and on water.

In LHT countries, vehicles drive on the left. Cars usually have the steering wheel on the right side. This means the driver sits closer to the center of the road. The passenger sits closer to the curb. Roundabouts in LHT countries go around in a clockwise direction. In RHT countries, everything is the opposite. Cars drive on the right, the driver sits on the left side of the car, and roundabouts go counterclockwise.

History of Driving Sides

How Driving Sides Started in Europe

Danish motorcyclists about to cross the border between Sweden and Norway in 1934
Motorcyclists at the border between Sweden and Norway in 1934.

Ancient soldiers from Greece, Egypt, and Rome often marched on the left side. In 1998, scientists found old Roman road tracks in England. The tracks were deeper on the left side when leaving a quarry. This suggests that carts drove on the left, as they would be heavier when leaving the quarry. Around the year 1300, Pope Boniface VIII told pilgrims to keep to the left.

The first time LHT was mentioned in English law was in 1756. This rule was for London Bridge. After the French Revolution, all traffic in France started keeping to the right.

Some cities in Europe had different rules than the rest of their country. For example, Rotterdam in the Netherlands was LHT until 1917, even though the rest of the country was RHT. Russia completely switched to RHT in February 1917.

After the Austro-Hungarian Empire broke apart, many new countries slowly changed to RHT. For example, parts of Austria switched between 1921 and 1938. In Romania, some areas were LHT until 1919, while others were already RHT. Nazi Germany made Czechoslovakia and Slovakia switch to RHT in 1938–1939.

In Italy, country roads were RHT, but cities were LHT until 1927. Rome switched to RHT in 1924, and Milan in 1926. However, the Rome Metro, built in 1955, still uses LHT.

Portugal switched to RHT in 1928. Finland, which used to be part of LHT Sweden, switched to RHT in 1858. This was ordered by Russia.

Kungsgatan 1967
Traffic moving from left to right in Stockholm, Sweden, on 3 September 1967.

Sweden made a big change to RHT in 1967. Before this, it had been LHT since about 1734. This was unusual because its neighbors drove on the right. Also, about 90% of cars in Sweden were already left-hand drive (LHD). People voted against changing in 1955, but the government decided to do it anyway. The switch happened on Sunday, September 3, 1967, at 5 AM. This day was called Dagen H. After the switch, the number of accidents dropped a lot, but then went back to normal. When Iceland switched the next year, it was called Hægri dagurinn.

Drive on Left sign, Dublin Airport, August 2019
A sign at Dublin Airport reminds drivers to keep left.

The United Kingdom still uses LHT. But its territories like Gibraltar and British Indian Ocean Territory use RHT. In the late 1960s, the UK thought about switching to RHT. But they decided it would be too dangerous and expensive because the country is so built up.

Today, only four countries in Europe still use LHT. All of them are islands and used to be part of the British Empire. These are the UK (including Northern Ireland), Cyprus, the Republic of Ireland, and Malta.

Changes in Africa

SADC road sign R137
A sign for LHT roundabouts in Southern Africa.
SADC road sign R137-RHT
A sign for RHT roundabouts.

Egypt kept RHT even after the British took control. This was because Napoleon had introduced RHT earlier.

The British brought LHT to British West Africa. But after these countries became independent, they switched to RHT. This was because they shared borders with former French colonies that used RHT. Countries like Ghana, Gambia, Sierra Leone, and Nigeria all switched. Britain also brought LHT to Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. These countries still use LHT. Sudan switched to RHT in 1973 because its neighbors used RHT.

The Portuguese Empire used LHT and brought it to Mozambique and Angola. Even though Portugal itself switched to RHT in 1928, these African territories stayed LHT. This was because they bordered former British colonies. Other former Portuguese colonies in Africa, like Guinea-Bissau, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Cape Verde, switched to RHT in 1928.

France introduced RHT in French West Africa and the Maghreb region. Countries like Mali, Mauritania, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Benin, Niger, Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia still use RHT. Other former French colonies like Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Djibouti, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo also use RHT.

Rwanda and Burundi are RHT, but they are thinking about switching to LHT. This would match their neighbors in the East African Community. A study in 2009 showed that many Rwandans wanted to switch. They thought RHD cars would be cheaper and easier to fix. Also, it would help traffic rules match other EAC countries. In 2015, Rwanda allowed RHD vehicles.

North American Driving Sides

Nb-stj-1899
Saint John, New Brunswick, around 1898. Parts of Canada used LHT until the 1920s.

In Canada, the British introduced LHT. But British Columbia, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island all switched to RHT between 1920 and 1924. Newfoundland, which was a British colony then, switched to RHT in 1947. Areas that were part of New France (like Quebec) have always used RHT.

When the British first settled North America, they drove on the left. But after the United States became independent in 1776, they wanted to be different from Britain. They slowly changed to RHT. This was also influenced by help from France in the War of Independence.

In the late 1700s, large wagons pulled by many horses helped make RHT common in the US. The driver usually sat on the left horse to hold the whip in their right hand. From this position, it was easier to see oncoming wagons if they passed on the left. The first law to keep right in the US was in 1792. New York made RHT official in 1804, New Jersey in 1813, and Massachusetts in 1821. Today, the US is RHT, except for the United States Virgin Islands, which uses LHT like many nearby islands.

Some special vehicles in the US, like postal trucks or garbage trucks, still have the steering wheel on the right side.

In the Caribbean, islands usually drive on the same side as the country that used to rule them. Many islands were British colonies and drive on the left. These include Jamaica, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, and The Bahamas.

Asia's Driving Rules

Lotus-bridge-macau
Cars change sides at the Lotus Bridge when entering or leaving Macau.

The British brought LHT to British India (now India, Pakistan, Myanmar, and Bangladesh). They also brought it to British Malaya (now Malaysia, Brunei, and Singapore) and British Hong Kong. All these places are still LHT, except Myanmar. Myanmar switched to RHT in 1970, but many of its roads are still set up for LHT. Most cars there are used RHD cars from Japan. Afghanistan was LHT until the 1950s, like its British-influenced neighbors.

The Portuguese Empire introduced LHT to Macau and East Timor. Both places are still LHT. Macau is now part of RHT China, so cars have to switch sides at the Lotus Bridge. East Timor shares an island with Indonesia, which is also LHT. East Timor actually switched to RHT with Portugal in 1928, but then switched back to LHT in 1976 during Indonesian rule.

China uses RHT, except for Hong Kong and Macau. These two regions are LHT because of their history as colonies. In the 1930s, LHT was common in China, but then northern areas became RHT. In 1946, Nationalist China adopted RHT. This rule stayed when the Communist Party took over the mainland.

Both North Korea and South Korea switched to RHT in 1945. This happened after they were freed from Japanese rule.

The Philippines mostly used LHT during its Spanish and American colonial times. It stayed LHT during the Japanese occupation. But during the Battle of Manila in 1945, American forces drove their tanks on the right side to make moving easier. RHT became official in 1945.

Japan was never part of the British Empire, but its traffic also drives on the left. This custom goes back to the Edo period (1603-1868). It became more official in 1872 when Japan's first railway was built with British help. Trains and trams all drove on the left. By 1924, left-side driving was officially written into law. After World War II, Okinawa, which was ruled by the US, used RHT. When it returned to Japan in 1972, it switched back to LHT in 1978. This change was called 730.

Vietnam became RHT as part of French Indochina, and so did Cambodia. In Cambodia, RHD cars were banned in 2001, even though most cars there were RHD.

Oceania's Driving Rules

Drive on left in australia
A sign in Australia reminds drivers to keep left.

Many former British colonies in Oceania have always used LHT. These include Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Kiribati, Solomon Islands, Tonga, and Tuvalu. Also, Nauru and Papua New Guinea, which Australia used to manage, are LHT.

Samoa, which was a German colony, had used RHT for over 100 years. But it switched to LHT in 2009. This was the first country in almost 30 years to switch. The change was made so Samoans could buy cheaper RHD cars from Australia, New Zealand, or Japan. It also helped Samoa match other South Pacific nations. Some people protested the change, but it happened smoothly on Monday, September 7, 2009, at 6 AM. The day of the switch and the next day were public holidays to reduce traffic.

South American Driving Sides

Brazil was a Portuguese colony. It had mixed driving rules until 1928, when all regions switched to RHT. This was the same year Portugal switched. Other Central and South American countries that switched from LHT to RHT include Argentina, Chile, Panama, Paraguay, and Uruguay.

Suriname and its neighbor Guyana are the only two countries in South America that still use LHT.

Changing Sides at Borders

Laos - Traffic Switchover Point
A sign showing where traffic changes sides at the Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge.

Even though many LHT countries are islands, cars sometimes need to cross borders into RHT areas. These borders are mostly in Africa and southern Asia. The Vienna Convention on Road Traffic has rules for foreign cars in countries that have signed it.

LHT Thailand has three RHT neighbors: Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar. At most borders, a simple traffic light helps cars switch sides. But some places have special interchanges that allow traffic to switch without stopping.

There are four road crossings between Hong Kong (LHT) and Mainland China (RHT). The Takutu River Bridge connects LHT Guyana and RHT Brazil. It's the only border in the Americas where traffic changes sides.

The United Kingdom is separated from Europe by the English Channel. But many vehicles travel between the UK and France through the Channel Tunnel.

How Road Vehicles Are Set Up

Driver's Seat Position

In RHT countries, cars are usually LHD, meaning the driver sits on the left side. In LHT countries, it's the opposite; cars are RHD, and the driver sits on the right. The driver's side, which is closer to the center of the road, is sometimes called the offside. The passenger side, closer to the curb, is called the nearside.

Most windshield wipers are designed to clean the driver's side better. They have a longer blade on the driver's side. On LHD cars, they wipe from right to left (from inside the car). On RHD cars, they do the opposite.

In the past, the driver's seat position wasn't always fixed. Before 1910, most American cars were RHD. But in 1908, Henry Ford made the Ford Model T LHD for RHT America. He said it was safer because the driver could see oncoming cars better. By 1915, other car makers followed Ford's lead.

Sometimes, the driver sits on the nearside (curbside) for special reasons. For example, street sweepers or delivery vehicles might have the driver on the nearside. This helps the driver see the edge of the road or make deliveries more easily. Some special trucks can even switch their steering wheel from left to right.

Motorcycles are usually mounted from the left side. Their kickstands are also usually on the left. This makes it easier to get on from the safer curbside in LHT countries.

Headlights and Other Lights

Low beam light pattern for right-hand traffic
This picture shows how low beam headlights shine for RHT. They light up the right side of the road more, so they don't blind drivers coming the other way.

Most low-beam headlights shine light unevenly. They are designed for one side of the road. For LHT countries, headlights shine more light towards the front-left. For RHT countries, they shine more light towards the front-right. This helps drivers see obstacles and signs without blinding oncoming traffic.

In Europe, headlights must be adjustable if a car is driven temporarily on the other side of the road. This can be done by adding special strips or lenses to the headlight. Some modern headlights can even adjust automatically using GPS. They change their beam pattern when the car moves from an LHT country to an RHT country, or vice versa.

Rear Fog Lights

In the European Union, cars must have one or two red rear fog lights. If there's only one, it must be on the driver's side of the car.

Rail Traffic Rules

Rail handedness by country
     Trains use right-hand track     Trains use left-hand track     Rail traffic is mixed or lacking

In most countries, trains travel on the same side of the tracks as cars on the road. However, sometimes railways were built using LHT British technology. Then, the country's road traffic switched to RHT, but the trains stayed LHT. This happened in countries like Argentina, Belgium, France, Italy, and Sweden.

In Indonesia, it's the opposite: trains use RHT, but roads use LHT. China mostly uses LHT for long-distance trains but RHT for metro systems. In Spain, trains use RHT, but the metros in Madrid and Bilbao use LHT. Trams usually follow the same side as road traffic because they often share roads.

Countries and Their Driving Sides

Out of 195 countries recognized by the United Nations, 141 use RHT and 54 use LHT for roads. The table below shows which side each country drives on. It also notes if a country switched sides and why.

Country Road traffic Road switched sides Notes, exceptions
 Afghanistan RHT
 Albania RHT
 Algeria RHT Was French Algeria until 1962.
 Andorra RHT Located between France and Spain.
 Angola RHT 1928 Was a Portuguese colony until 1975.
 Antigua and Barbuda LHT Was a British colony. Caribbean island.
 Argentina RHT 1945 The day of the switch, June 10, is still celebrated as Road Safety Day.
 Armenia RHT
 Australia LHT Was made of British colonies before 1901. Includes Norfolk Island.
 Austria RHT 1921–38
 Azerbaijan RHT
 Bahamas LHT Was a British colony. Caribbean island.
 Bahrain RHT 1967 Was a British protectorate. Switched to match its neighbors.
 Bangladesh LHT Was part of British India before 1947.
 Barbados LHT Was a British colony. Caribbean island.
 Belgium RHT 1899
 Belarus RHT
 Belize RHT 1961 Was a British colony. Switched to match its neighbors.
 Benin RHT Was part of French West Africa.
 Bhutan LHT Was under British protection.
 Bolivia RHT
 Bosnia and Herzegovina RHT 1918 Switched after the Austro-Hungarian Empire ended.
 Botswana LHT
 Brazil RHT 1928
 Brunei LHT Was under UK protection.
 Bulgaria RHT
 Burkina Faso RHT Was part of French West Africa.
 Burundi RHT Was a Belgian colony.
 Cambodia RHT
 Cameroon RHT 1961
 Canada RHT 1920–24
 Cape Verde RHT 1928 Was a Portuguese colony.
 Central African Republic RHT Was a French colony.
 Chad RHT Was a French colony.
 Chile RHT 1920s
 China RHT/LHT 1946 Mainland China is RHT. Hong Kong and Macau are LHT due to their colonial history.
 Colombia RHT
 Comoros RHT Was a French colony.
 Congo RHT Was a French colony.
 DR Congo RHT Was a Belgian colony.
 Costa Rica RHT
 Ivory Coast RHT Was part of French West Africa.
 Croatia RHT 1926 Switched as part of Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes.
 Cuba RHT
 Cyprus LHT Was under UK rule. Island nation.
 Czech Republic RHT 1939 Switched during German occupation.
 Denmark RHT Includes Faroe Islands and Greenland.
 Djibouti RHT
 Dominica LHT Was a British colony. Caribbean island.
 Dominican Republic RHT
 East Timor LHT 1976 Was a Portuguese colony. Switched to RHT in 1928, then back to LHT in 1976 during Indonesian rule.
 Ecuador RHT
 Egypt RHT
 El Salvador RHT
 Equatorial Guinea RHT
 Eritrea RHT 1964 Was an Italian colony.
 Estonia RHT
 Eswatini (Swaziland) LHT Was a British colony. Drives on the same side as neighboring South Africa.
 Ethiopia RHT 1964
 Fiji LHT Was a British colony. Island nation.
 Finland RHT 1858
 France RHT 1792 Includes many overseas territories like French Polynesia and Réunion.
 Gabon RHT
 Gambia RHT 1965 Was a British colony. Switched to RHT because it's surrounded by former French colonies.
 Georgia RHT Many cars are RHD due to imports from Japan.
 Germany RHT
 Ghana RHT 1974 Was a British colony. Switched to RHT. RHD cars were banned for new registrations just before the switch.
 Greece RHT
 Grenada LHT Was a British colony. Caribbean island.
 Guatemala RHT
 Guinea RHT
 Guinea-Bissau RHT 1928 Was a Portuguese colony.
 Guyana LHT Was a British colony. One of the few LHT countries in the Americas.
 Haiti RHT
 Holy See RHT Located inside Rome.
 Honduras RHT
 Hungary RHT 1941 Was LHT like most of Austria-Hungary, but switched during World War II.
 Iceland RHT 1968
 Iran RHT
 Iraq RHT
 India LHT Was part of British India.
 Indonesia LHT Roads are LHT, but railways use RHT.
 Ireland LHT Was part of the United Kingdom.
 Israel RHT
 Italy RHT 1924–26
 Jamaica LHT Was a British colony. Caribbean island.
 Japan LHT
 Jordan RHT
 Kazakhstan RHT
 Kenya LHT Was part of the British East Africa Protectorate.
 Kiribati LHT Was a UK colony. Pacific islands.
 North Korea RHT 1946 Was LHT under Japanese rule. Switched to RHT after Japan surrendered.
 South Korea RHT 1946
 Kosovo RHT
 Kuwait RHT
 Kyrgyzstan RHT Many cheaper RHD cars are imported from Japan.
 Laos RHT RHT was used when it was part of French Indochina.
 Latvia RHT
 Lebanon RHT Was a French Mandate.
 Lesotho LHT Surrounded by LHT South Africa.
 Liberia RHT
 Libya RHT Was an Italian colony.
 Liechtenstein RHT Located between Switzerland and Austria.
 Lithuania RHT
 Luxembourg RHT
 Madagascar RHT Was a French colony.
 Malawi LHT Was a British colony.
 Malaysia LHT Was a British colony.
 Maldives LHT Was a British colony. Island nation.
 Mali RHT Was part of French West Africa.
 Malta LHT Was a British colony. Island nation.
 Marshall Islands RHT Was under American control.
 Mauritania RHT Was part of French West Africa.
 Mauritius LHT Was a British colony. Island nation.
 Mexico RHT
 Micronesia RHT Was under American control.
 Moldova RHT
 Monaco RHT Was under French control.
 Mongolia RHT
 Montenegro RHT
 Morocco RHT Was a French colony.
 Mozambique LHT Was a Portuguese colony.
 Myanmar RHT 1970 Was part of British India. Switched to RHT in 1970.
 Netherlands RHT 1906 Includes Curaçao, Sint Maarten, and Aruba.
 Namibia LHT 1918 Was managed by South Africa.
 Nauru LHT 1918 Was managed by Australia, New Zealand, and the UK. Island nation.
   Nepal LHT Shares a border with LHT India.
 New Zealand LHT Was a British colony. Pacific island.
 Nicaragua RHT
 Niger RHT Was part of French West Africa.
 Nigeria RHT 1972 Was a British colony. Switched to RHT because of its French-speaking neighbors.
 North Macedonia RHT
 Norway RHT
 Oman RHT
 Pakistan LHT Was part of British India.
 Palau RHT
 Palestinian National Authority RHT
 Panama RHT 1943
 Papua New Guinea LHT Switched to LHT after Australia took over German New Guinea.
 Paraguay RHT 1945
 Peru RHT
 Philippines RHT 1946 Was LHT during Spanish and American rule. Switched to RHT in 1945 during the Battle of Manila.
 Poland RHT
 Portugal RHT 1928 Its colonies like Macau and Mozambique did not switch.
 Qatar RHT Was a British protectorate. Switched to match its neighbors.
 Romania RHT 1919 Parts that were once Austria-Hungary were LHT until 1919.
 Russia RHT In the Far East, many RHD cars are imported from Japan.
 Rwanda RHT
 Saint Kitts and Nevis LHT Was a British colony. Caribbean island.
 Saint Lucia LHT Was a British colony. Caribbean island.
 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines LHT Was a British colony. Caribbean island.
 Samoa LHT 2009 Switched to LHT to allow cheaper car imports from Australia, New Zealand, and Japan.
 San Marino RHT Surrounded by Italy.
 São Tomé and Príncipe RHT 1928 Was a Portuguese colony.
 Saudi Arabia RHT 1942
 Senegal RHT Was part of French West Africa.
 Serbia RHT 1926 Switched as part of Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes.
 Seychelles LHT Was a British colony. Island nation.
 Sierra Leone RHT 1971 Was a British colony. Switched to RHT because of its French-speaking neighbors.
 Singapore LHT Was a British colony.
 Slovakia RHT 1939–41 Switched during German occupation.
 Slovenia RHT 1926 Switched as part of Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes.
 Solomon Islands LHT Was a British colony. Island nation.
 Somalia RHT Former British Somaliland was LHT, but it joined with former Italian Somaliland which was RHT.
 South Africa LHT Was a British colony.
 South Sudan RHT 1973 Was part of Sudan then.
 Spain RHT 1924 Madrid was LHT until 1924. The Madrid Metro still uses LHT.
 Sri Lanka LHT Was British Ceylon.
 Sudan RHT 1973 Was Anglo-Egyptian Sudan.
 Suriname LHT 1920s Was a Dutch colony. One of the few LHT countries in the Americas.
 Sweden RHT 1967 (3 September) The day of the switch was called Dagen H. Most cars were already LHD.
  Switzerland RHT
 Syria RHT Was under French and Italian control.
 Taiwan RHT 1946 Was LHT under Japanese rule. Switched to RHT in 1946.
 Tajikistan RHT
 Tanzania LHT Was part of the British East Africa Protectorate.
 Thailand LHT One of the few LHT countries not a former British colony.
 Togo RHT
 Tonga LHT Was a British protectorate. Polynesian island nation.
 Trinidad and Tobago LHT Was a British colony. Caribbean island.
 Tunisia RHT French RHT was used from 1881.
 Turkey RHT 1920s
 Turkmenistan RHT
 Tuvalu LHT Was a British colony. Island nation.
 Uganda LHT Was a British Uganda Protectorate.
 Ukraine RHT 1922
 United Arab Emirates RHT Was a British protectorate. Switched to match its neighbors.
 United Kingdom LHT/RHT 1929
(in Gibraltar)
Includes Crown dependencies and Overseas Territories. Most are LHT. Gibraltar is RHT because it borders Spain. The British Indian Ocean Territory is also RHT.
 United States RHT/LHT The United States Virgin Islands is LHT, like many Caribbean islands.
 Uruguay RHT 1945 Switched to RHT on September 2, 1945.
 Uzbekistan RHT
 Vanuatu RHT Was managed by France and the United Kingdom.
 Venezuela RHT
 Vietnam RHT Became RHT as French Indochina.
 Western Sahara RHT Was occupied by Spain.
 Yemen RHT 1977 South Yemen changed to RHT in 1977. North Yemen was already RHT.
 Zambia LHT Was a British colony.
 Zimbabwe LHT Was a British colony.

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