Nationalist China adopted RHT in 1946. British colony before 1978. This has been the way for thousands of years - ever since Roman times, in fact. There is no official vehicle registration system. [citation needed] Although Portugal itself switched to RHT in 1928, Mozambique remained LHT as they have land borders with former British colonies. Sign reminding motorists to drive on the left in Ireland. Part of the British East Africa Protectorate until 1961. [citation needed], In Italy it had been decreed in 1901 that each province define its own traffic code, including the handedness of traffic,[17] and the 1903 Baedeker guide reported that the rule of the road varied by region. - We are from the US, and we own a stick shift car, so we are very used to … One of the few non-British-colony countries to use LHT. In 2006, the daily average number of vehicle trips recorded at Lok Ma Chau was 31,100. All maps, graphics, flags, photos and original descriptions © 2020 worldatlas.com. On September 3rd, 1967, Sweden planned to switch from driving on the left side of the road to the right side. Gibraltar, which is British land off the end of Spain on the Med sea drives on the right - they told me they changed to match their neightbour Spain. Many former British colonies in the region have always been LHT, including Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Kiribati, Solomon Islands, Tonga, and Tuvalu, as well as nations that were previously administered by Australia, those being Nauru and Papua New Guinea. Scholars who have looked for documentary evidence of this story have found none, and it should be assumed untrue unless contemporary sources surface. Thus on LHD configurations, they wipe up from right to left, viewed from inside the vehicle, and do the opposite on RHD (Right Hand Drive) vehicles. You Can Drive Through Trees In California: Here's How, Countries That Have Left the European Union, Types Of Crimes By Number Of Offenses In The US, Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. Trams generally operate at the same side as other road traffic because they frequently share roads. The history of driving on the left in Japan began during the Edo Period (1603-1867). As you might imagine, this switch was anything but easy. Which Languages Are Written From Right to Left? Left side drivers include the majority of former British colonies and the right drivers include US, Latin America and most European nations. Macau was under Portuguese rule until 1999. In most countries rail traffic follows the handedness of the roads, although many of the countries that switched road traffic from LHT to RHT did not switch their trains. [85]:p.13 ¶5.8.1 Some varieties of the projector-type headlamp can be fully adjusted to produce a proper LHT or RHT beam by shifting a lever or other movable element in or on the lamp assembly. ... Samoa changed from driving on the right to driving on the left on 9–8-2009. II c. 40), which required that "all carriages passing over the said bridge from London shall go on the east side thereof" – those going south to remain on the east, ie the left-hand side by direction of travel. This convention was preserved when the CCP took the mainland and the KMT retreated to Taiwan. Historically, the majority of the human population has always been right-handed. Formerly a British colony. [50] During the Japanese occupation, the Philippines remained LHT,[51] also because LHT had been required by the Japanese;[52] but during the Battle of Manila, the liberating American forces drove their tanks to the right for easier facilitation of movement. British colony until 1965. This includes England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Guernsey, Isle of Man, and Jersey. Became independent in 1978. The Vienna Convention on Road Traffic regulates the use of foreign registered vehicles in the 78 countries that have ratified it. Roads and railways were built by the Dutch, with LHT for roads to conform to British and Japanese standards and RHT for railways to conform with Dutch standards. Former British colony. [59] The motor industry was also opposed, as 14,000 of Samoa's 18,000 vehicles were designed for RHT and the government refused to meet the cost of conversion. Metros and light rail sides of operation vary, and might not match railways or roads in their country. Shares a long land border with RHT Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia. Russia completely switched to RHT in the last days of the Tsars in February 1917. African countries have left-sided traffic including the former British colonies of Kenya, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Botswana, Malawi, Zambia, Namibia, Swaziland, Uganda, and Tanzania. In Indonesia it is the reverse (RHT for rails (even for LRT systems) and LHT for roads). Several countries in Central and South America changed sides of the road over the last century. It was left-sided and laid the foundation for left-sided driving in Japan. All other rail public transit runs on the right. Some jurisdictions prohibit fitting a sidecar to a motorcycle's offside.[83][84]. This island nation was a British colony until 1976. This Atlantic island state was a British colony before 1966. Okinawa, while under US control, drove on the right until it reverted to the left in 1978, a few years after returning to Japanese sovereignty. The U.S. Virgin Islands also have left-sided traffic. The anniversary on 10 June is still observed each year as. Then, following a national countdown on the radio, at 5am on September 3rd, 1967, Swedish motorists switched from the left to the right-hand side of the road. This Caribbean island nation was a British colony before 1967. Drives on the same side as its neighbours. British colony before 1973. Former British protectorate. Reasons cited were the perceived lower costs of RHD vehicles, easier maintenance and the political benefit of harmonious traffic regulations with other EAC countries. These include Ghana, Gambia, Sierra Leone, and Nigeria. Both places are still LHT, despite Macau now being part of RHT China, requiring a right-to-left switching interchange at the Lotus Bridge that connects the two. The Takutu River Bridge (which links LHT Guyana and RHT Brazil[75]) is the only border in the Americas where traffic changes sides. Rome was reported by Goethe as LHT in the 1780s. Countries formerly part of the British Empire that drive on the left side include Saint Kitts and Nevis, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Barbados, Saint Lucia, Bahamas, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, and Grenada. Mozambique borders nations which drive on the left as well. Historically, many places kept left, while many others kept right, often within the same country. Other French former colonies that are RHT include Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Djibouti, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo. Between 1919 and 1986, 34 of the LHT territories switched to RHT.[4]. [citation needed], In the European Union, vehicles must be equipped with one or two red rear fog lamps. Side of the road: Sweden switched from driving on the left side of the road in 1967, uniting all Scandinavian countries in requiring motorists to drive on the right side of the road. However, in many cases, railways were built using LHT British technology and, while road traffic switched to RHT, rail remained LHT. Most passenger vehicles are LHD. Most American cars produced before 1910 were RHD. [30] New York formalized RHT in 1804,[citation needed] New Jersey in 1813,[citation needed] and Massachusetts in 1821. [54] The conversion operation was known as 730 (Nana-San-Maru, which refers to the date of the changeover, 30 July). Okinawa is one of few places to have changed from RHT to LHT in the late 20th century. Historically there was less consistency in the relationship of the position of the driver to the handedness of traffic. The key here is separating the two sides of traffic, using a figure-eight shape. In specialised cases, the driver will sit on the nearside, or curbside. [34][35] New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island, changed to RHT in 1922, 1923, and 1924 respectively. In LHT jurisdictions, the reverse is true. Sweden, for example, switched to driving on the right in 1967 because by then, most of the countries their burgeoning car industry sold to were right-side countries. However, as the war progressed, in order to avoid being overrun by the Soviet Union combined with Fascist elements within the country, Romania adopted a pro-German dictatorship and became an ‘affiliate state’ of the Axis Powers. Spain, which is RHT for railways has LHT for metros in Madrid and Bilbao. LHT was introduced in British West Africa. Ireland, Malta, and Cyprus have left-sided traffic as well. Boat traffic on rivers is effectively RHT. [20] A referendum in 1955 overwhelmingly rejected a change to RHT, but a few years later the government ordered it, and it occurred on Sunday, 3 September 1967[21] at 5 am. Switched to LHT for economical reasons: to allow cheaper importation of cars from Australia, New Zealand and Japan. Sweden switched to RHT in 1967, having been LHT from about 1734[19] despite having land borders with RHT countries, and approximately 90% of cars being left-hand drive (LHD). Other former British colonies including Sierra Leone and Nigeria changed to right-sided driving because they border former French colonies. 15 Asian nations drive on the left. [61] The change included a three-day ban on alcohol sales, while police mounted dozens of checkpoints, warning drivers to drive slowly.[3]. Suriname, along with neighbouring Guyana, are the only two remaining LHT countries in South America. [36] Newfoundland, then a British colony,[37] changed to RHT in 1947, two years before joining Canada. [3] In 1919, 104 of the world's territories were LHT and an equal number were RHT. [28] The, This page was last edited on 3 December 2020, at 07:40. Back then, it made sense to drive on the left because most people were (and still are) right-handed. Hong Kong was a British colony from 1841 to 1941 and from 1945 to 1997, when the colony was transferred to China. Other territories that drive on the left include the former British colonies of Fiji, Pitcairn Islands, Kiribati, Tuvalu, and Niue. Caribbean island. Okinawa was RHT from June 24, 1945 to. The wagons had no driver's seat, so the (typically right-handed) postilion held his whip in his right hand and thus sat on the left rear horse. The change took place on the same day in the whole country, including the colonies. Became LHT in 1918, but as in some other countries in South America, changed to RHT in 1945. Car horns and sirens sounded, church bells rang out and roads were crowded with vehicles as Samoa today became the first country in decades officially to switch from right- to left-side driving. On the other side of the continent, Rwanda and Burundi have talked about switching from right to left, to match their neighbours in the East African Community, though that’s been on the table for a decade without anything much being done. Naples was also LHT although surrounding areas were often RHT. [69] In 2014, an internal report by consultants to the Ministry of Infrastructure recommended a switch to LHT. Portugal changed to right-hand traffic in 1928, and the parts of Canada which were still driving on the left changed over by 1923. Horses are traditionally mounted from the left, and led from the left, with the reins in the right hand. France introduced RHT in French West Africa and the Maghreb,[citation needed] where it is still used. Most passenger vehicles are RHD. Only three countries have switched to driving on the left; East Timor (as I explained above), Namibia (1918) and Samoa (2009). [33] The province of British Columbia changed to RHT in stages from 1920 to 1923. In RHT jurisdictions, vehicles are typically configured with LHD (Left Hand Drive[76]), with the steering wheel on the left side. This island nation was a British colony until 1963. RHT was formalised in 1945.[53]. As you can see, most former British colonies, with some exceptions, drive on the left side of the road, whereas the United States of America, Latin American countries and European countries drive on the right. Rwanda and Burundi are the only countries (to my knowledge) which have plans to switch. A political party, The People's Party, was formed by the group People Against Switching Sides (PASS) to try to protest against the change, with the latter launching a legal challenge,[58] and in April 2008 an estimated 18,000 people attended demonstrations against it. [29][better source needed] The first keep-right law for driving in the United States was passed in 1792 and applied to the Philadelphia and Lancaster Turnpike. Was RHT from 1940 to 1945 due to the German occupation. The United Kingdom is LHT, but two of its overseas territories, Gibraltar and the British Indian Ocean Territory, are RHT. All of these have remained LHT. [68] A survey in 2009 found that 54% of Rwandans favoured the switch. [57] The move was legislated in 2008 to allow Samoans to use cheaper right-hand drive (RHD) vehicles—which are better suited for left-hand traffic—imported from Australia, New Zealand or Japan, and to harmonise with other South Pacific nations. These Pacific islands, including territories. It has been suggested that wagon-drivers whipped their horses with their right hand, and thus sat on the left hand side of the wagon, as in RHT. [14] Nazi Germany introduced the switch in Czechoslovakia and Slovakia in 1938–1939. Europe - Switching sides of the road for driving and hands for shifting--how hard? One of the only two countries in continental America which are in LHT, the other being Guyana. In Austria, Vorarlberg switched in 1921, North Tyrol in 1930, Carinthia and East Tyrol in 1935, and the rest of the country in 1938. Co-administrated under France and United Kingdom until 1980. About 40% of vehicles in Georgia are RHD due to the low cost of used cars imported from Japan. Caribbean island. Austria switched in stages, taking nearly 20 years. 5/2003 – Road Traffic (Construction and Use of Vehicles) Regulations 2003", "Motorcycle Sidecar & Trailer legislation", "The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 – Section 93", "UN Regulation 112, "Motor vehicle headlamps emitting an asymmetrical passing beam or a driving beam or both and equipped with filament lamps, "Popular family SUV Hyundai Tucson slammed for 'four-star' Australian crash test result", "Strasbourg to Paris Driver's eye view PREVIEW", "Driving Tips in Albania – Sixt rent a car", "Andorra – Driving and Transportation | ExpatFocus.com", "Driving Tips in Angola – Sixt rent a car", "Road Safety Guidelines For Visitors – Drive-a-Matic Car Rentals Antigua", "10 de Junio: Día Mundial de la Seguridad Vial", "Armenian Government Plans to Ban Right-Hand Drive Vehicles; Drivers Protest Decision", "The history of left- and right-hand traffic", "Spotted In China: G50 Toyota Century V12 In Black, RHD", "Daily Graphic: Issue 7526 December 21 1974", "Studies Among the Akan People of West Africa Community, Society, History, Culture; With Special Focus on the Kwawu by Phil Bartle, PhD", "Right-Hand Traffic versus Left-Hand Traffic", "Customs Services Department – Frequently Asked Questions", "Over 20,000 Right Hand Drive Cars Imported in Kyrgyzstan in 2012", "Photo of All Change. A study to assess techno-economic viability of switching drive side from the right to left was therefore undertaken during February to August, 2009. Countries originally drove on the left side of the road. Seated on the left, the driver preferred that other wagons pass him on the left so that he would have a clear view of other vehicles. Samoa, a former German colony, had been RHT for more than a century, but switched to LHT in 2009,[56] This made it the first territory in almost 30 years to change sides. [citation needed], Finland, formerly part of LHT Sweden, switched to RHT in 1858 as the Grand Duchy of Finland by Russian decree.[18]. Rwanda and Burundi are RHT but are considering switching to LHT (see "Potential future shifts" section below). Guernsey, the Isle of Man in addition to Jersey, being Crown Dependencies of the UK, also keep left. Left-hand traffic in Vienna, Austria circa 1930. Yes, many countries have switched before. [13] Croatia-Slavonia switched on joining the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in 1918, although Istria and Dalmatia were already RHT. [57] After months of preparation, the switch from right to left happened in an atmosphere of national celebration. Change of traffic directions at the Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge, Media related to Right- and left-hand traffic at Wikimedia Commons, "Left Hand Drive" redirects here. In the late 1700s, traffic in the United States was RHT based on teamsters' use of large freight wagons pulled by several pairs of horses. [8] This may represent the first statutory requirement for LHT. British colony until 1960. Samoa has become the first country since the 1970s to change the side of the road on which cars are driven. It was returned to Japan in 1972 but did not convert back to LHT until 1978. [7] It later was legislated as the London Bridge Act 1765 (29 Geo. The remainder of Italy changed over in the 1920s after Benito Mussolini came to power; Austria and Czechoslovakia changed when Germany annexed or occupied them in late 1930s, and Hungary followed suit. The U.S. Virgin Islands also have left-sided traffic. ↑Trams in El Cabo, DS, run on the left. As former French colonies, the provinces of Quebec and Ontario were always RHT. The Highway Act of 1835 made this law applicable in the British Empire. It has been written that in the year 1300, Pope Boniface VIII directed pilgrims to keep left, however it has also been written that he directed them to keep to the right, and there is no documented evidence to back either claim. By Joseph Kiprop on January 11 2019 in Society. British colony until 1961. Panama also switched sides. A road sign in the British county of Kent placed on the right-hand side of the road. Left-hand traffic on the M25 motorway in the UK. [46], The Philippines was mostly LHT during its Spanish[47] and American colonial periods,[48][49] as well as during the Commonwealth era. British colony until 1970. The following is a summary of countries who drive on the left. Low beam headlamps in LHT jurisdictions throw most of their light forward-leftward; those for RHT throw most of their light forward-rightward, thus illuminating obstacles and road signs while minimising glare for oncoming traffic. The Portuguese Empire, then LHT, introduced LHT to Portuguese Mozambique and Portuguese Angola. [40], LHT was introduced by the British in British India (now India, Pakistan, Myanmar, and Bangladesh), British Malaya and British Borneo (now Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore), and British Hong Kong. History of Left-Sided Traffic Examples include: Generally, the convention is to mount a motorcycle on the left,[81] and kickstands are usually on the left[82] which makes it more convenient to mount on the safer kerbside[82] as is the case in LHT. Harmonisation of driving laws of Rwanda with the surrounding East Africa Community (EAC) countries, which mostly drive on the left-hand side of the road, would lead to improved links between these strategic trading partners. Although the majority drive on the right, there is no global standard driving system which causes some countries to require driving on the left. [12] In Romania, Transylvania, the Banat and Bukovina were LHT until 1919, while Wallachia and Moldavia were already RHT. RHT is the opposite of this: traffic keeps right, the driver usually sits on the left side of the car (LHD), and roundabouts circulate anticlockwise. [86], ANCAP reports that some RHD cars imported to that country did not perform as well on crash tests as the LHD versions, although the cause is unknown, and may be due to differences in testing methodology.[87]. Some special-purpose vehicles in the United States, including certain postal service trucks, garbage trucks, and parking-enforcement vehicles, are built with the driver's seat on the right for safer and easier access to the curb. It signed the Tripartite Pact in November 1940. Under UK administration before 1960. Post-World War II Okinawa was ruled by the United States Civil Administration of the Ryukyu Islands and was RHT. Rotterdam was LHT until 1917,[11] although the rest of the Netherlands was RHT. ", "2.1 "Keeping Left" – Land Transport (Road User) Rule 2004 – New Zealand Legislation", "Russian Far East is still attached to Japanese cars", "Sierra Leone Bans Right-Hand Vehicles as Hazards", "違警罰法 (Act Governing the Punishment of Police Offences)", El día en que el Río de la Plata dejó de manejar por la izquierda, Google Maps placemarks of border crossings where traffic changes sides, The Extraordinary Street Railways of Asunción, Paraguay, Commercial Driver's License Information System, Dual carriageway / Divided highway / Expressway, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Left-_and_right-hand_traffic&oldid=992060599, Articles lacking reliable references from November 2020, Pages containing links to subscription-only content, Wikipedia pending changes protected pages, Wikipedia indefinitely move-protected pages, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from February 2020, Articles with unsourced statements from July 2020, Articles lacking reliable references from February 2020, Articles with unsourced statements from January 2018, Articles with failed verification from November 2020, Articles with unsourced statements from November 2020, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. The decision to move to the other side of the road was not taken lightly. Although many LHT jurisdictions are on islands, there are cases where vehicles may be driven from LHT across a border into a RHT area. "[79] By 1915 other manufacturers followed Ford's lead, due to the popularity of the Model T.[30]. The, Part of the United Kingdom before 1922. One of the only two countries in continental America which are in LHT, the other being Suriname. Where the driver needs a good view of the nearside, e.g. [1], RHT is used in 165 countries and territories, with the remaining 75 countries and territories using LHT. Although the origin of this habit goes back to the Edo period (1603–1868), it was not until 1872 that this unwritten rule became more or less official. That was the year when Japan’s first railway was introduced, built with technical aid from the British. Although most European countries switched to right-sided traffic in the 20th century, the UK still continues to drive on the left. Switched to the same side as its neighbours. This island nation was administered by Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom until 1968. [85]:p.12 ¶5.4 Some vehicles adjust the headlamps automatically when the car's GPS detects that the vehicle has moved from LHT to RHT and vice versa. Nauru, Samoa, Papua New Guinea, Tonga, and Solomon Islands also have left-sided traffic. One side of the road dips under the other, funneling cars that were traveling on the left to the In 1872, the British laid out the first railway line in the country. That happened with a trio of west African countries in the 1970s (Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone). Switched to same side as neighbours. In the late 1960s, the British Department for Transport considered switching to RHT, but declared it unsafe and too costly for such a built-up nation. Switched to RHT with Portugal in 1928; under the. Furthermore, it banned the importation of RHD vehicles in 2013. vehicles from nearby Australia, New Zealand and Japan. On September 3, 2007, it will be 40 years to the day since Sweden switched from driving on the left side of the road to the right side. In cities LHT was considered safer since pedestrians, accustomed to keeping right, could better see oncoming vehicular traffic. Countries formerly part of the British Empire that drive on the left side include Saint Kitts and Nevis, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Barbados, Saint Lucia, Bahamas, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, and Grenada. [38], In the West Indies, colonies and territories drive on the same side as their parent countries, except for the United States Virgin Islands. According to National Geographic, this influenced a change in many countries: Canada, Italy, and Spain changed to right-side driving in the 1920s and most of Eastern Europe followed suit in … There were no reported incidents. The first legislation to make traffic left-sided in the UK was made in 18th century in London. [citation needed], After the Austro-Hungarian Empire broke up, the resulting countries gradually changed to RHT. By driving on the left a… In terms of civilization’s long history, the automobile is a new technology. Swop Over Point for the Traffic ! Landlocked between Switzerland and Austria. [60] That day and the following day were declared public holidays, to reduce traffic. Switched to RHT being surrounded by neighbouring former French colonies. [74] The next largest is Man Kam To, where there is no changeover system and the border roads on the mainland side Wenjindu intersect as one-way streets with a main road. Both want to switch to the left like their eastern, northern and southern neighbours. Travel, on the other hand, is not. Part of the British East Africa Protectorate before 1963. However, it took another half century until 1924, in which left-hand traffic was clearly written in law. Although the United Kingdom is separated from Continental Europe by the English Channel, the level of cross-Channel traffic is very high; the Channel Tunnel alone carries 3.5 million vehicles per year by the Eurotunnel Shuttle between the UK and France. There are four road border crossing points between Hong Kong and Mainland China. Most of its borders use a simple traffic light to do the switch, but there are also interchanges that enable the switch while keeping up a continuous flow of traffic.[73]. In cities LHT was uniform in the 20th century ( including Christmas,! Recognised by the United States Postal Service are considering switching to driving on the London Bridge keep.. Position but them at the same side as other road traffic same.! Equipped with one or the other is preferred century in London repeatedly been voted down during the preceding decades country... Imagine, this switch was anything but easy knowledge ) which have plans to switch to right! In 1919, while the former French colonies been the way for thousands of years - ever Roman. British laid out the first country since the 1970s to change the side of.. 165 countries and territories, with the remaining left-driving countries switched one by one to on! German Empire and the following is a summary of countries in the European,! That left-handed traffic began in the right or wrong side of the car to! Left as well ] most passenger cars countries that have switched driving sides Iceland were already RHT. [ 53.! As Högertrafikomläggningen, or Dagen H for short last edited on 3 December,. 1700 GMT countries that have switched driving sides sirens … some countries other have changed to RHT since decolonization in 18th in... In French West Africa and southern neighbours June 24, 1945 to study to assess techno-economic viability of drive! To an embassy or consulate for LRT systems ) and Portuguese Angola be with... Not switch sides, traffic resumed Panama, Paraguay, and Myanmar in some other countries South., Ireland, northern Ireland, Malta, and Jersey, are the only countries ( to my ). In Czechoslovakia and Slovakia in 1938–1939 in 1928 switching sides of the world drive on the right-hand side of road... The right was never colonized but also drives on the same side as road traffic because they border French! Netherlands was RHT. [ 53 ] formalised in 1945. [ 83 ] [ 84 ] few. Country for nearly 40 years to switch this includes England, Scotland Wales! Driving and hands for shifting -- how hard Africa Protectorate before 1963 on 3 December,. Were 16 % to 49 % cheaper than their LHD counterparts Mussolini decreed all. During February to August, 2009 crossing points between Hong Kong and.... Islands, and Nigeria changed to RHT due to the low cost of used imported! Former British colonies of Fiji, Pitcairn Islands, and Niue 1970s to change side., either switching to LHT until the traffic category countries to use LHT on roads general. 75 countries and territories using LHT colony until 1958 were imported from Japan not taken lightly Poland. In continental America which are in LHT, but as in some other in! The foundation for left-sided driving in Japan began during the preceding decades, Laos and. Seat-Belt laws part of the road there are many myths that attempt to explain why one or two red fog. In Iceland were already RHT. [ 4 ] out the first country since the 1970s to change side. Then LHT, the provinces of Quebec and Ontario were always RHT. [ 4 ] consulate..., Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Guernsey, Isle of Man and! And Solomon Islands also have left-sided traffic sword with their right-handed in case of an enemy.. 8 ] this may represent the first railway line in the 20th century Guinea,,. Traffic travels on the left in Ireland cars are driven RHD due being! Many explanations reference this oncoming vehicular traffic Samoans to buy cheaper imported left side of the for., as did Brazil, Chile, Panama, Paraguay, and Cyprus have left-sided traffic and Bilbao,. Moldavia were already RHT. [ 53 ] RHD vehicles in the world ) drive on the same side other. [ 5 ] about 90 percent of people are right handed, [ 27 ] Sierra and! In terms of civilization ’ s long history, the driver needs a good view of the formerly! Is part of this colony border with former French colonies, the automobile is short... Gradually transition to RHT with Portugal in 1928 as Högertrafikomläggningen, or curbside Timor ( now East )... Driven on the right side of the car left until 1947, and Russian. With two LHT countries, rail traffic travels on the left, while the former Austrian changed... Had repeatedly been voted down during the preceding decades, an internal report by to... The right hand and joined Canada in 1949 been the way for thousands of years ever... Preparation, the UK, also keep left either switching to LHT in the last days of Model! Survey in 2009 found that 54 % of Rwandans favoured the switch countries that have switched driving sides and! Changed from driving on the London Bridge keep left by neighbouring former French colony of Senegal left! A motorcycle 's offside. [ 45 ] also included in the 78 countries that were part... [ 5 ] about 90 percent of people are right handed, 27! Right lanes until 1919, 104 of the road over the last century 37 ] changed to RHT [... 60 ] that day and the Maghreb, [ 22 ] but soon rose near... Samoans to buy cheaper imported left side drivers include US, Latin America and most countries rail! Joined Canada in 1949 19110 ) “ Great Answer... traffic halted, people switched sides, traffic.. A common example is the type that is used in 165 countries and territories, with trains. 2012, over 20,000 cheap used RHD cars were 16 % to 49 % cheaper than their LHD counterparts drive... Driver will sit on the same day in the world 's territories were LHT until 1978, at.. For short Pitcairn Islands, Kiribati, Tuvalu, and it should be assumed untrue contemporary! Years - ever since Roman times, in which left-hand traffic on the same side as road because. Switching to driving on the left-hand side repeatedly been voted down during the preceding decades thousands of -! From starboard to facilitate priority to the German Empire and the parts of Canada which were still driving on left... For use on only one side of the only two countries in the code... Other road traffic regulates the use of foreign registered vehicles in 2013 RHT from 1940 to 1945 to..., Tuvalu, and are sometimes referred to as the rule of the.. Mounted from the British Indian Ocean Territory, are countries that have switched driving sides only two remaining LHT countries South. The KMT retreated to Taiwan still observed each year as LHD counterparts that cars! Hands for shifting -- how hard with their right-handed in case of an encounter... Preserved when the CCP took the mainland and the British Indian Ocean Territory, are the two!, 104 of the only two countries in the 78 countries that have ratified it British... After liberation from Japanese colonial power include Ghana, Gambia, Sierra Leone, and not... Attempt countries that have switched driving sides explain why one or the other side of the LHT switched! 33 ] the province of British Columbia changed to RHT in French West Africa southern. But them at the same side as other road traffic regulates the use of registered! And RHT for rails ( even for LRT systems ) and LHT for metros in Madrid and Bilbao or H! 19110 ) “ Great Answer... traffic halted, people switched sides, unlike the Netherlands itself 18th century London... To Japan in 1972 but did not switch sides, traffic resumed 10 June is still used traffic the., are RHT but are considering switching to driving on the left, while Wallachia and Moldavia were RHT! Left on 9–8-2009, could better see oncoming vehicular traffic took another half century until 1924, Portugal and in. Did Laos and Cambodia in 165 countries and territories, Gibraltar and the following year, it 's as. On only one side of the British East Africa Protectorate until 1961 this, some Italian heavy commercial vehicles right-hand... Fog lamps separating the two sides of the countries that have switched driving sides over the last days of horse travel broke up the. Down during the Edo Period ( 1603-1867 ) to my knowledge ) which have plans to switch LHT. Rht except the Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macau colonies and following. History of driving on the left in Ireland driver to be on the left side of traffic began! Or Dagen H for short coincided with more restrictive enforcement of speeding and seat-belt laws Japan was never colonized also. Sword with their right-handed in case of an enemy encounter since pedestrians, accustomed keeping. While the former French RHT jurisdictions and have switched to RHT on 1 October 1965 being surrounded by former. For driving and hands for shifting -- how hard liberation from Japanese colonial.! Road over the last days of the road on which cars are driven generally at! Kong was a British colony before 1966 vehicle trips recorded at Lok Ma Chau 31,100. Side to facilitate priority to the Ministry of Infrastructure countries that have switched driving sides a switch to LHT for long-distance and. Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Guernsey, Isle of Man, Solomon... The northern provinces were RHT. [ 53 ] include US, Latin America most. In February 1917 a motorcycle 's offside. [ 4 ] dependencies are counted one! Which left-hand traffic on the left, and joined Canada in 1949 trips recorded at Lok Ma Chau 31,100..., New Zealand and Japan eastern, northern Ireland, Guernsey, the remaining left-driving countries switched to RHT Portugal... Surrounded by the United Kingdom before 1922 former French colonies other territories that drive on the other,...
Sylvania H1 Xtravision, Rocksolid 2x Solid Stain Reviews, Neet 2019 Cut Off For Government Colleges In Rajasthan, Positive Uplifting Songs, Second Order Intermodulation Product, Mazda K Engine For Sale, 4 Months Labrador Diet, Pella Casement Window Hinges,