   #copyright

Driving on the left or right

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Road transport

   The references in this article would be clearer with a different and/or
   consistent style of citation, footnoting or external linking. Please
   see the relevant discussion on the talk page for further details.
   ██ drive on right██ drive on left
   Enlarge
   ██ drive on right██ drive on left

   Keeping to either the left or the right prevents vehicles moving in
   opposite directions from colliding with each other. This is so
   fundamental that it is sometimes known simply as the rule of the road.
   About 34% of the world by population drives on the left, and 66% keeps
   right. By roadway distances, about 28% drive on the left, and 72% on
   the right.

   In more sophisticated systems such as large cities, this concept is
   further extended: some streets are marked as being one-way, and on
   those streets all traffic must flow in only one direction. A driver
   wishing to reach a destination already passed must use other streets in
   order to return.

History

   Map of the world showing the driving directions for all countries and
   any changes that have occurred, beginning with Finland's change in
   1858██ drives on right██ drove on left, now drives on right██ drives on
   left██ drove on right, now drives on left██ had different rules of the
   road within borders, now drives on right
   Enlarge
   Map of the world showing the driving directions for all countries and
   any changes that have occurred, beginning with Finland's change in 1858
   ██ drives on right██ drove on left, now drives on right██ drives on
   left██ drove on right, now drives on left██ had different rules of the
   road within borders, now drives on right

   Archaeologists have unearthed a clue about ancient driving habits. In
   1998 they found a well-preserved track leading to a Roman quarry near
   Swindon, England. The ruts in the road on one side are much deeper than
   those on the other side, as would be the case with carts going in empty
   and coming out laden with stone. The ruts suggest that, at least at
   this location, the Romans drove on the left.

   In fact, some believe that ancient travelers on horseback generally
   rode on the left side of the road. As more people are right-handed,
   horsemen would thus be able to hold the reins with their left hand and
   keep their right hand free—to offer in friendship to a passing rider or
   to defend themselves with a sword, if necessary.

   In the late 1700’s, a shift from left to right took place in countries
   such as the United States, when teamsters started using large freight
   wagons pulled by several pairs of horses. The wagons had no driver’s
   seat, so the driver sat on the left rear horse and held his whip in his
   right hand. Seated on the left, the driver naturally preferred that
   other wagons pass him on the left so that he could be sure to keep
   clear of the wheels of oncoming wagons. He did that by driving on the
   right side of the road.

   The English, however, kept to the left. They had smaller wagons, and
   the driver sat on the wagon, usually on the right side of the front
   seat. From there he could use his long whip in his right hand without
   entangling it in the cargo behind him. In that position, on the right
   side of the wagon, the driver could judge the safety margin of passing
   traffic by keeping to the left side of the road. Countries that became
   part of the British Empire adopted the keep-left rule too, although
   there were some exceptions. Canada, for example, eventually changed to
   the right in order to make border crossings to and from the United
   States easier.

   On most early motor vehicles, the driving seat was positioned
   centrally. Some car manufacturers later chose to place it near the
   centre of the road to help drivers see oncoming traffic, while others
   chose to put the driver's seat on the kerb side so that the drivers
   could avoid damage from walls, hedges, gutters and other obstacles.
   Eventually the former idea prevailed.

   Political events in France had a big effect on driving habits. Before
   the Revolution of 1789, the aristocracy drove their carriages along the
   left side of the roads, forcing the peasants to the other side. But
   once the Revolution started, these nobles desperately tried to hide
   their identity by joining the peasant travelers on the right. By 1794
   the French government had introduced a keep-right rule in Paris, which
   later spread to other regions as the conquering armies of Napoléon I
   marched through much of continental Europe. It is not surprising that
   Napoléon favored keeping to the right. One reference work explains that
   because he was left-handed, “his armies had to march on the right so he
   could keep his sword arm between him and any opponent.”

   In Europe, countries that resisted Napoléon kept to the left. Russia
   and Portugal switched to the right early in the 20th century. Austria
   and Czechoslovakia changed to the right when occupied by Nazi Germany
   at the end of the 1930’s, and Hungary followed suit. Today just four
   European countries still drive on the left: Britain, Ireland, Cyprus,
   and Malta. Interestingly, although Japan never was a British colony, it
   too drives on the left.

Driving on the right

     * Oncoming traffic is seen coming from the left;
     * The driving seat is usually on the left side of the vehicle, hence
       the designation left hand drive (LHD);
     * Left-turning traffic must cross oncoming traffic.
     * Most traffic signs facing motorists are on the right-hand side of
       the road;
     * Traffic on roundabouts (traffic circles or rotaries) goes
       anticlockwise (counter-clockwise);
     * Pedestrians crossing a two-way road should first look for traffic
       from their left.

Driving on the left

     * Oncoming traffic when driving on the left is seen on the right
       side.
     * The driving seat is usually on the right side of the vehicle, hence
       the designation right hand drive (RHD);
     * Right-turning traffic must cross oncoming traffic;
     * Most traffic signs facing motorists are on the left side of the
       road;
     * Traffic on roundabouts (traffic circles or rotaries) goes
       clockwise;
     * Pedestrians crossing a two-way road should first look for traffic
       from their right.

Changing sides at borders

   Change of traffic directions at the Laos-Thai border
   Enlarge
   Change of traffic directions at the Laos-Thai border

   There are still many instances of traffic having to change sides at
   border crossings, such as at those between Afghanistan and Pakistan,
   Laos and Thailand, Sudan and Uganda. Thailand is particularly notable
   in the context of border crossings, as it is the only sizeable country
   that has nearly all of its borders with countries that drive on the
   opposite side. It drives on the left, but 90% (4357km or 2707 miles) of
   its borders are with countries that drive on the right, with only
   Malaysia driving on the left since Myanmar (formerly Burma) changed
   from driving on the left to driving on the right in 1970.

   Many borders are formed from natural barriers such as mountains or
   rivers, and this is particularly true of borders where traffic changes
   sides of the road, especially in Asia. These natural barriers make the
   number of border crossings much lower than would otherwise be the case.
   Furthermore, given their remoteness, most mountain border crossings
   have relatively low traffic volumes and so changing sides of the road
   is even less of an issue.

   The four most common ways of switching traffic from one side to the
   other at borders are:
     * Traffic lights. Examples are:
          + Friendship Bridge between Thailand and Laos - photo
          + Friendship Bridge between Thailand ( Mae Sot) and Myanmar
            (Myawaddy) - photo
          + New bridge between Thailand ( Mae Sai) and Myanmar (opened in
            2006) - photo

     * Crossover bridges. Examples are:
          + Lok Ma Chau between Hong Kong and mainland China - Google Maps
          + Lotus Bridge between Macau and mainland China - Google Maps

     * Border roads intersect with roundabouts or other one-way traffic
       systems. Examples are:
          + Man Kam To between Hong Kong and mainland China - Google Maps
          + Land border between Macau and mainland China - Google Maps

     * No automatic infrastructure (signposts and directions only), most
       commonly found at borders with low vehicular traffic volumes.
       Examples are:
          + Poipet between Thailand and Cambodia - photo, photo
          + Old bridge between Thailand (Mae Sai) and Myanmar - photo,
            photo
          + Khunjerab Pass between Pakistan and China - photo

Changing the rule

   The most common reason for countries to switch to driving on the right
   is for conformity with neighbours, as it increases the safety of
   cross-border traffic. For example, former British colonies in Africa,
   such as Gambia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria and Ghana, have all changed from
   left- to right-hand traffic, as they all share borders with former
   French colonies, which drive on the right. The former Portuguese colony
   of Mozambique has always driven on the left, as all its neighbours are
   former British colonies. Decisions by countries to drive on the right
   typically concern conformity and uniformity rather than practical
   reasons. There are historical exceptions, such as postilion riders in
   France, but such historical advantages do not apply to modern road
   vehicles.

   In the former British Crown colony of Hong Kong and the former
   Portuguese enclave of Macau, traffic continues to drive on the left,
   unlike in mainland China, despite the fact that they are now its
   Special Administrative Regions. However, Taiwan, formerly under
   Japanese rule, changed to driving on the right in 1946 after the
   government of the Republic of China assumed administration; the same
   happened in Korea (both North and South), a former Japanese colony
   under U.S. and Soviet occupation.

Foreign occupation and military transit

   Many countries have temporarily or permanently changed their rule of
   the road as a result of foreign occupation. Recent examples include
   Austria, Czechoslovakia ( details) and Hungary under German rule or
   military transit in the 1930s and '40s. The Channel Islands also
   changed to driving on the right under German occupation, but changed
   back after liberation in 1945. The Falkland Islands did the same under
   Argentine control during the 1982 Falklands War (although the Argentine
   government officially ordered the islanders to drive on the right, they
   often drove on the left to assert their defiance to occupation). East
   Timor changed to driving on the left under Indonesian rule in 1976, and
   continues the practice as an independent state. The Japanese region of
   Okinawa changed from left to right under U.S. occupation; after the
   occupation ended, it changed back to driving on the left to match the
   rest of Japan.

Uniformity

   Traffic driving on the right in Savoy Court in London (the UK usually
   drives on the left)
   Enlarge
   Traffic driving on the right in Savoy Court in London (the UK usually
   drives on the left)

   Article 9(1) of the United Nations Convention on Road Traffic done at
   Geneva in 1949 requires each country to have the same direction of
   traffic, i.e. each country may have either left-hand traffic or
   right-hand traffic but not both. The exact wording of the article is
   "All vehicular traffic proceeding in the same direction on any road
   shall keep to the same side of the road, which shall be uniform in each
   country for all roads. Domestic regulations concerning one-way traffic
   shall not be affected". Before that, a country could have different
   rules in different parts, for example Canada until the 1920s.

   When islands are excluded, the only continents with the same side of
   the road to drive on over each whole continent are:
    1. Australia with left-hand traffic
    2. Europe since Sweden changed from left-hand traffic in 1967
    3. North America, including Central America, since British Honduras
       changed from left-hand traffic in 1961

   Africa, Asia, and South America have land borders where drivers must
   change to the other side of the road.

Vehicles

   For safety reasons (and in some cases political or economic reasons),
   some countries have banned the sale or import of vehicles with the
   steering wheel on the "wrong" side.

   In Australia this is the case with non-vintage LHD vehicles (i.e. over
   30 years old), with the result that Australians who import such
   vehicles usually must pay sometimes thousands of dollars to convert
   them to RHD. The exceptions are for vehicles registered in Western
   Australia and the Northern Territory - both which have at various times
   hosted U.S. military facilities and had vehicles imported, used and
   sold by U.S service personnel in circulation. Both are also relatively
   flat and thinly populated, reducing the collision/overtaking base risk
   which is the declared rationale excluding their use in other states.
   The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) previously allowed non-vintage
   LHD vehicles to be registered, but changed its legislation some years
   ago.

   In New Zealand, LHD vehicles may be privately imported, and driven
   locally under a LHD permit. Since 1999, only LHD vehicles older than 20
   years or cars owned and operated for at least 90 days may be privately
   imported. Diplomats and Operation Deep Freeze personnel are exempted
   from these restrictions.

   In the Philippines, RHD cars are banned. Public buses and vans imported
   from Japan are converted to LHD, and passenger doors are created on the
   right side. However, some vans keep their doors on the left side,
   leading to the odd (and dangerous) situation in which passengers have
   to exit toward oncoming traffic.

   Cambodia banned the use of RHD cars, most of which were smuggled from
   Thailand, from 2001, even though these accounted for 80 per cent of
   vehicles in the country. The government threatened to confiscate all
   such vehicles unless they were converted to LHD, in spite of the
   considerable expense involved. According to a BBC report, changing the
   steering column from right to left would cost between US$600 and
   US$2000, in a country where average annual income was less than
   US$1000.
   A RHD Toyota Landcruiser in front of a Pyongyang hotel
   Enlarge
   A RHD Toyota Landcruiser in front of a Pyongyang hotel

   North Korea, although it drives on the right, imported various used RHD
   vehicles from Japan, from tourist buses to Toyota Land Cruisers for its
   army and secret police, and cars for high rank party members.

   However, many used vehicles exported from Japan to countries like
   Russia and Peru are already converted to LHD. But even if the driver's
   position is left unchanged some jurisdictions require at least
   readjustment of the headlights.

   Singapore bans LHD vehicles from being imported for personal local
   registration, but temporary usage by tourists of LHD vehicles is
   allowed. It is also notable that embassy vehicles in Singapore are
   exempt from the RHD-only ruling, and that there are a few hydrogen and
   fuel cell powered LHD vehicles currently undergoing trials in
   Singapore.

   In Taiwan, Article 39 of the Road Traffic Security Rules ( zh:道路交通安全規則)
   require a steering wheel to be on the left side of a vehicle to pass an
   inspection when registering the vehicle, so RHD vehicles may not be
   registered in Taiwan. This rule does not apply retroactively so older
   RHD vehicles may continue to be legally driven.

   In Trinidad and Tobago LHD vehicles are banned except for returning
   nationals who were resident in a foreign country and are importing a
   vehicle for personal use. LHD vehicles are also allowed to be imported
   for use as funeral hearses.

   In West Africa, once-British Ghana and Gambia have also banned RHD
   vehicles. Their traffic has been changed from on the left to on the
   right. Ghana prohibited new registrations of RHD vehicles after 1
   August 1974, three days before the traffic change on 4 August 1974.

   Most of the above bans on RHD and LHD vehicles apply only to
   locally-registered vehicles. Countries that have signed the 1968 Vienna
   Convention on Road Traffic are not allowed to make such restrictions on
   foreign-registered vehicles. Paragraph 1 of Annex 5 states "All
   vehicles in international traffic must meet the technical requirements
   in force in their country of registration when they first entered into
   service". Therefore all signatory countries and most non-signatory
   countries allow the temporary import (e.g. by tourists) of
   foreign-registered vehicles, no matter which side the steering wheel is
   on. Oman, which has not signed the convention bans all
   foreign-registered RHD vehicles.

   Both RHD and LHD vehicles may generally be registered in any European
   Union member state, but there are some restrictions and regulations.
   Slovakia, despite being a member of the European Union, does not allow
   the local registration of RHD vehicles, even if the vehicle is imported
   from one of the four EU countries that drive on the left (UK, Ireland,
   Cyprus, and Malta). If a LHD vehicle is registered in the United
   Kingdom, then its headlights must be permanently adjusted to dip to the
   left, which often involves the lenses being replaced.

   Most headlights are manufactured so that when dipped, they are aimed
   slightly towards the kerb side. In this way, RHD vehicles' headlights
   dip to the left and LHD vehicles' headlights dip to the right. Within
   Europe, when driving a RHD vehicle in a country that drives on the
   right or a LHD vehicle in a country that drives on the left, it is a
   legal requirement to adjust headlights so that they do not shine
   towards oncoming vehicles when dipped. This may be achieved by fixing
   adhesive blackout strips to the part of the lens that deflects light to
   one side, but an increasing number of vehicles, particularly those with
   xenon headlights, can be more simply adjusted by a lever or switch on
   the back of the headlights, whenever switching sides of the road.
   However, the requirement to adjust headlights is respected by a
   decreasing number of drivers, and is now rarely enforced by European
   police forces. In France, this is probably because, since amber-tinted
   headlights were abolished in 1993, foreign-registered vehicles have
   been much less conspicuous at night.

   Without sidecars attached, motorcycles, motor scooters, mopeds, and
   bicycles are almost symmetric with their handlebars in the centre.
   However, headlights may still require adjustments when brought between
   countries driving on different sides of the roads like cars.

Trains

   Trains often do not operate on the same side of the road as cars do. In
   France for instance, trains drive on the left, with the exception of
   the Alsace region where they keep to the right because the lines were
   built in the late 19th century when Alsace had been part of Germany
   where trains also go on the right. Moreover the exceptions of left or
   right hand driving are much more common for trains than for cars.
   Initially, most steam engines had RHD, with the engineer sitting on the
   right, and the conductor sitting on the left. This was customary in the
   UK and it spread to the USA and elsewhere in the world. RHD was never
   converted to LHD even if the trains switched to right-hand running. RHD
   remains the customary way for operating trains, with the driver on the
   right and assistant, sitting on the left side of the cab. Ironically,
   some railways, particularly, the London Underground, switched to LHD
   with left-hand running.

   In countries with trains keeping to the right it is often said that RHD
   is safer, as it is possible that something from a train passing on the
   left track (like opened cargo doors) may hit the train. In such case
   driver on the right is safer than if he were sitting to the left.

   As track management becomes increasingly computerized, and trains
   become increasingly automated, track-sidedness becomes meaningless. For
   example, on a triple track railway, trains in either direction might be
   going at full speed on any of the three tracks. This relies on
   frequently-placed track switches to avoid head-on collisions, but
   reduces the needed number of tracks. It also allows traffic that has a
   directional imbalance to be fully accommodated, rather than cramming
   many trains into half the tracks while the other half are empty.
   Train entering the Channel Tunnel from France
   Enlarge
   Train entering the Channel Tunnel from France

   Countries with trains generally keeping to the right (incomplete list)
     * Canada
     * Denmark
     * Finland
     * Germany
     * Hungary
     * Mexico
     * Netherlands
     * Norway
     * Poland
     * Romania
     * Russia (except between Moscow and Ryazan)
     * USA (except for trains operating on the former Chicago & North
       Western right-of-way)

   Countries with trains generally keeping to the left (incomplete list):
     * Argentina
     * Australia
     * Belgium
     * Denmark
     * France (except the Alsace region)
     * Hong Kong
     * India
     * Ireland
     * Italy
     * Japan
     * Malaysia
     * Myanmar
     * Portugal
     * Singapore
     * Slovenia
     * South Africa
     * Spain
     * Sweden
     * Switzerland
     * Taiwan (except Taipei Rapid Transit System)
     * UK

Boats

   Generally all water traffic keeps to the right. This is historically
   because, prior to the use of a rudder, the boat was steered by a 'steer
   board' (cf. tiller), which was located on the right-hand side of the
   boat (hence " starboard"), because the helmsman, standing in the middle
   of the boat and looking ahead, used his right hand to operate it. By
   keeping to the right, boats pass port-to-port, protecting the steer
   board.

   However, there are many exceptions, often indicated on the particular
   bridge itself.

Priority

   As well as the side of the road, priority rules also differ between
   countries. In the United Kingdom, priority is always indicated by signs
   or road markings, in that almost every junction not governed by traffic
   lights or a roundabout has a concept of a major road and minor road. In
   most of Continental Europe, the default priority is to give way to the
   right, but this default is overridden by signs or road markings on all
   but very minor roads. In France, until the 1980s, the "priorité à
   droite" (give way to the right) rule was employed at most roundabouts,
   in that traffic already on the roundabout had to give way to traffic
   entering the roundabout. Most French roundabouts now have give-way
   signs for traffic entering the roundabout, but there remain some
   notable exceptions that operate on the old rule, such as the Place de
   l'Étoile around the Arc de Triomphe. Traffic on this particular
   roundabout is so chaotic that French insurance companies deem any
   accident on the roundabout to be equal liability. British and Irish
   drivers, who are accustomed to having right of way by default unless
   they are specifically told to give way, are often more confused by the
   default give-way-to-the-right rule used on minor roads in nearby
   Continental Europe than they are by switching sides of the road.

Lanes

   When driving on the right:
     * The lane usually designated for overtaking (passing) and turning
       left is on the left
     * The lane designated for normal driving and turning right is on the
       right
     * Most freeway exits are on the right
     * Overtaking is sometimes permitted to the right.

   When driving on the left:
     * The lane designated for overtaking (passing) and turning right is
       on the right
     * The lane designated for normal driving and turning left is on the
       left
     * Most freeway exits are on the left
     * Overtaking is sometimes permitted to the left. In the UK overtaking
       on the left (called 'undertaking') is not usually permitted, except
       in certain circumstances.

Places of interest

Australia

   Australia drives on the left. For many decades all Australian states
   and territories used the "give way to the right" rule, requiring
   vehicles, even on major, multi-lane roads, to give way to another
   vehicle entering (however abruptly) from a side road and turning right
   onto the major road. As traffic densities and speeds increased the
   collision rate became too great and the rule was changed in the early
   1980s, with turning movements made much safer by various combinations
   of line marking, signposting and the introduction of the "T rule" .
   However, the old rule can still apply in cases such as failed traffic
   lights on crossroads or unmarked rural junctions.

   This situation compares interestingly with the "give way to the right"
   rule in most countries of Continental Europe, where a vehicle turning
   left (onto another road usually of similar hierarchy) can completely
   stop all traffic in the lane to its left while giving way to traffic on
   its right and waiting, however long, for a gap to move into.

Canada

   Until the 1920s, the rule of the road in Canada varied from province to
   province, with British Columbia, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince
   Edward Island having cars driving on the left, and the other provinces
   and territories having motorists driving on the right. Starting with
   the interior of British Columbia on 15 July 1920 and ending with Prince
   Edward Island on 1 May 1924, these provinces changed to driving on the
   right. Newfoundland was not part of Canada until 1949, and its
   motorists drove on the left until 2 January 1947. Some RHD vehicles can
   be found, particularly smaller Canada Post service trucks. These have
   extra mirrors to increase driver visibility.

Caribbean

   In many Caribbean islands where traffic drives on the left, such as the
   British Virgin Islands, U.S. Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, the
   Bahamas and Turks and Caicos Islands, most passenger cars are LHD,
   being imported from the United States. Only government cars and those
   imported from Asia are RHD. The U.S. Virgin Islands are particularly
   known for having a high accident rate caused by American tourists from
   the mainland who are unfamiliar with driving on the left in their
   rental cars - the confusion from which is obviously compounded by using
   a LHD vehicle.

China (mainland)

   Until 1946, driving in mainland China was mixed, with cars in the
   northern provinces driving on the right (probably to concur with
   Russian practice, which was "keep right" from 1920), and cars in the
   southern provinces such as Guangdong driving on the left, probably a
   result of their proximity to the British crown colony of Hong Kong and
   the Portuguese enclave of Macau.

   After 1946, China followed the United States, by changing to driving on
   the right, due to political reasons that the United States helped China
   to fight against Japanese occupation during World War II and American
   cars (mostly LHD) were already popular in the mainland.

   During the Cultural Revolution ( 1966- 1976), Red Guards in some cities
   considered that to drive on the right side of road was to take the
   "rightist's route/policy", and they were said to have ordered vehicles
   to drive on the left side. Some also attempted to reverse the
   traditional meaning of traffic signals by having the red light mean
   "go" and the green light "stop". These two changes caused a great deal
   of confusion and resistance so both were abolished within several
   months.

   There is still a great deal of confusion among drivers when they travel
   between the Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macau, and
   the rest of China. Hong Kong and Macau continue to drive on the left,
   while the rest of China drives on the right. It can be very
   disorienting, since the traffic is on opposite sides of the road, and
   the internal vehicle configurations are reversed as well.

Cyprus

   A former British colony, Cyprus drives on the left, and cars sold
   locally are right hand drive, including those used by the British
   forces in the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia. However,
   owing to its political and economic isolation, many vehicles in the
   self-proclaimed 'Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus' are left hand
   drive, being imported from Turkey. An increasing number of right hand
   drive grey import vehicles from Japan are now sold in both parts of the
   island.

Finland

   Although traffic in Finland has driven on the right-hand side since
   1858, and the cars have the steering wheel on the left side, some cars,
   especially the cars of the Post Office ( Suomen Posti) have the
   steering wheel on the right side. It is worth noting that many Post
   Office cars & vans in different countries, including the United States
   have the steering wheel on the right hand side. This is so the vehicle
   can easily drive up next to the mailbox and distribute mail without the
   driver getting out of the vehicle.

Gibraltar

   Although the British overseas territory of Gibraltar changed to driving
   on the right on 16 June 1929, in order to avoid accidents involving
   vehicles from Spain, some public buses until recently were RHD, with a
   special door allowing passengers to enter on the right hand side.
   However, most passenger cars are LHD, as in Spain, with the exception
   of second-hand cars brought in from the UK and Japan and some vehicles
   used by the British forces.

Guyana and Suriname

   Guyana and Suriname are the only two remaining countries in the
   mainland Americas that still drive on the left. As a result of the
   construction of the Pan-American Highway, four mainland American
   countries switched to driving on the right between 1943 and 1961, the
   last of which was Belize. Both Guyana and Suriname are separated from
   their neighbours by large rivers, over which no road bridges have yet
   been built. The inland south of both countries is sparsely populated
   with very few roads and hence no border crossings.

   However, in the south west of Guyana near Lethem, work is underway to
   build the Takutu River Bridge across the Takutu River into neighbouring
   Brazil, which drives on the right. Unlike road bridges between other
   countries that drive on opposite sides of the road, the changeover
   system will unusually be in the country that drives on the left, i.e.
   Guyana, where one lane will pass under the other on the bridge's access
   road. Despite stalling construction in recent years, Brazil is keen to
   open the bridge, as it will give Brazil access to Caribbean sea ports
   on the north coast of South America. Brazil intends to limit Guyana
   registered (RHD) vehicles to no further than the Brazilian border town
   of Bonfim, but it is expected that Brazilian (LHD) vehicles will be
   able to drive all the way through Guyana to the coast. Once opened, the
   Takutu Bridge will be the Americas' only border crossing where traffic
   changes sides of the road.

   In Suriname most of the privately owned buses are imported from Japan,
   since they are already made to conform to driving on the left. Most
   state-owned buses, however, are from the US and often the placement of
   the exits has to be adjusted.

Hong Kong and Macau

   Being a former British colony, Hong Kong follows the United Kingdom in
   driving on the left. Macau, a former Portuguese exclave, follows Hong
   Kong in driving on the left because most of the RHD cars in Macau are
   imported through Hong Kong. Macau did not follow either Mainland China
   in 1946 or Portugal in 1928 in switching to driving on the right.

   Under the auspices of the one country, two systems arrangement, traffic
   continues to move on the left in Hong Kong and Macau, now Special
   Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China, unlike in the
   mainland. Most vehicles are RHD and even suppliers for the People's
   Liberation Army have specially made RHD version vehicles for the
   garrison to drive in Hong Kong and Macau. LHD exceptions include some
   buses providing services to and from the mainland. Vehicles registered
   in Hong Kong and Macau are required to have a special number plate
   issued by the authorities in Guangdong province to drive legally on the
   mainland.

   There are three road border crossing points between mainland China and
   Hong Kong. The largest and busiest is Lok Ma Chau ( ), which features
   two separate changeover systems on the mainland side. The next largest
   is Man Kam To, where there is no changeover system and the border roads
   on the mainland side simply intersect as one-way streets with a main
   road. There are two border crossing points between mainland China and
   Macau. The newer crossing point is the Lotus Bridge, which crosses a
   narrow channel of sea between the mainland and Macau, and was opened at
   the end of 1999 ( ). The Lotus Bridge was designed to cater for high
   traffic volumes and features three lanes in each direction as well as a
   full changeover system on the mainland side, comprising bridges that
   loop around each other by 360° to swap the direction of the traffic. At
   the older Macau crossing point, there is no changeover system and the
   border roads continue with traffic on the left on the mainland side,
   and simply intersect on to a roundabout. All of these Chinese
   changeover systems can be viewed in high resolution using Google Earth.

Iceland

   Iceland switched traffic from left to right at 6am on Sunday, May 26,
   1968. The only injury from the changeover was a boy on a bicycle who
   broke his leg. Numerous buses were also stuck in traffic jams.

India

   India continued the colonial practice of driving on the left hand side
   of the road after independence. Now all vehicles are RHD. Import of LHD
   vehicle is banned unless for R&D or diplomatic use.

Italy

   Which side of the road the Romans drove on is disputed. Archeologic
   evidence in Britain seems to indicate driving on the left and old Roman
   roads in Turkey showed Romans used the right hand side of the road. In
   Italy the practice of traffic driving on the right first began in the
   late 1890s, but it was not until the mid 1920s that it became standard
   throughout the country. There was a long period when traffic in the
   countryside drove on the right while major cities continued to drive on
   the left. Rome, for example, did not change from left to right until 20
   October 1924. Cars had remained right-hand drive (RHD) until this time.
   Lancia did not produce LHD cars until as late as the early 1960s, and
   stopped making RHD cars altogether in 1994. Lancia is expected to start
   manufacturing RHD cars again in 2008.

Japan

   Japan is one of the few countries outside the former British Empire to
   drive on the left. An informal practice of left-hand passage dates at
   least to the Edo period, when samurai are said to have passed each
   other to the left in order to avoid knocking swords with each other (as
   swords were always worn to the left side). During the late 1800s, Japan
   built its first railways with British technical assistance, and
   double-tracked railways adopted the British practice of running on the
   left. However, army troops were ordered to keep to the right while
   travelling on roads, creating a double standard that was not legally
   resolved until 1924, when all road travel in Japan switched to the
   left.

   After the defeat of Japan during World War II, Okinawa was occupied by
   the United States and made to drive on the right side. Okinawa changed
   back to driving on the left when it was returned to Japan. The change
   took place at 06:00 on 30 July 1978. It is one of very few places to
   have changed from right to left hand traffic in the late twentieth
   century.

   In Japan, foreign cars sold locally have traditionally been LHD, which
   is regarded as exotic or a status symbol. This even applies to British
   brands (although cars for the British market have the steering wheel on
   the right), in part because many have been imported via the US. Many
   tollbooths in Japan have a special lane for LHD vehicles. However, some
   US manufacturers have made RHD models for the Japanese market (namely
   the Ford Taurus and Chevrolet Cavalier), though with limited success;
   and as continental European brands become more popular, the preference
   is increasingly for RHD models, many of which are re-exported to
   countries like New Zealand as grey imports, along with Japanese models.

Malta

   Malta was a British colony from 1800 to 1964 and continues to drive on
   the left hand side of the road. Local vehicles are right hand drive,
   with many old British cars still on the road.

Myanmar (Burma)

   As a former British colony, cars in Myanmar (formerly Burma) drove on
   the left side until 1970, when the military administration of Ne Win
   decreed that traffic would drive on the right side of the road. It is
   alleged that this was because Ne Win had been advised by his
   soothsayer, who had said "move to the right". In spite of the change,
   most passenger cars in the country today are RHD, being second-hand
   vehicles imported from Japan, Thailand, and Singapore. However,
   government limousines, imported from the People's Republic of China,
   are LHD. Virtually all vehicles are driven with a passenger in place to
   watch the oncoming traffic and inform the driver as to whether it is
   safe to overtake or not, as the driver cannot see this from his RHD
   position.

New Zealand

   Even though New Zealand drives on the left, drivers must give way to
   traffic coming from their right at intersections. Thus, the give way
   rules have more in common with those of countries that drive on the
   right than of other countries that drive on the left.

Pakistan

   Pakistan is a nation driving on left side of the road. This is the
   continuation of the British India driving habits. After the
   independence, Pakistan decided to keep the British system intact.

Russian Federation

   Although Russia drives on the right, cheaper grey import cars from
   Japan are more popular than LHD cars of the same class. Russia is
   estimated to have more than 1.5 million RHD vehicles on its roads. In
   the far eastern regions, such as Vladivostok or Khabarovsk, RHD
   vehicles make up to 90% of the total. This includes not only private
   cars, but also police cars, ambulances, and many other municipal and
   governmental vehicles.

   Considering that RHD vehicles by far outnumber the LHD ones (better
   suited to the rules) on the Pacific side of Russia, drivers in those
   regions have made multiple proposals about switching the sides of the
   road. However, they were denied by Russian government. During spring
   2005, the rumour that RHD vehicles would be completely banned from the
   roads drove thousands of protestors to the streets everywhere in the
   country. On 4 July 2005 Russian minister of industry and energy Viktor
   Khristenko announced that RHD vehicles would be allowed on the roads
   but would have to conform to all Russian traffic safety requirements.

Sweden

   Sweden had left-hand traffic (Vänstertrafik in Swedish) from
   approximately 1734, when it changed back from a short period of
   right-hand traffic starting in 1718. Finland, under Swedish rule until
   1809, also drove on the left, and continued to do so as a Russian Grand
   Duchy until 1858.

   This continued well into the 20th century, despite the fact that
   virtually all the cars on the road in Sweden were LHD. (One argument
   for this was that it was necessary to keep an eye on the edge of the
   road, something that was important on the narrow roads in use at the
   time.) Also, Sweden's neighbours, Norway and Finland already drove on
   the right, leading to confusion at border crossings.

   In 1955 a referendum was held on the issue, resulting in an
   82.9%-to-15.5% vote against a change to driving on the right.
   Nevertheless, in 1963 the Swedish parliament passed legislation
   ordering the switch to right-hand traffic. The changeover took place at
   5am on Sunday, September 3, 1967, which was known in Swedish as Dagen H
   (H-Day), the 'H' being for Högertrafik or right-hand traffic.

   Since Swedish cars were LHD, experts had suggested that changing to
   driving on the right would be safer, because drivers would have a
   better view of the road ahead. Indeed, fatal car-to-car and
   car-to-pedestrian accidents dropped sharply as a result, mostly because
   people initially drove more slowly and more carefully. However, the
   accident rate rose back to its original position within two years.

United Kingdom

   One of many road signs in the English county of Kent placed on the
   right hand side of the road
   Enlarge
   One of many road signs in the English county of Kent placed on the
   right hand side of the road
     * Vehicles within United States visiting forces bases in the UK drive
       on the left, even though the U.S. does not provide specific
       right-hand drive vehicles for their green fleet. But their white
       fleet does have right-hand drive vehicles. This is unlike British
       practice in Germany where even UK green fleet vehicles for British
       Forces Germany have been left-hand drive.
     * On some British Army training locations, where the army once
       trained for conflict in Eastern Europe during the Cold War, traffic
       is meant to travel on the right. Most military bases in the UK
       though have the normal rule of driving on the left.
     * There are several locations in the UK where traffic passes other
       traffic coming in the opposite direction on the left hand side, but
       most locations are separated by a barrier (such as on the south
       side of Portman Square in London). In Savoy Court outside the Savoy
       Hotel, among other places, however, there is no barrier.
     * As a result of European Union legislation ensuring the free
       movement of goods, many British consumers exercise their right to
       buy RHD cars from car dealers in any other EU country, where they
       are often cheaper, despite originating from the same factories as
       UK-sourced cars. However, some manufacturers may charge a
       supplement for RHD models.
     * During the Lockerbie bomb trial of 2000-02, Camp Zeist in the
       Netherlands was decreed to be British territory subject to Scottish
       law. However, Dumfries and Galloway Police, who were responsible
       for policing traffic movements within the compound, effected a
       clause which subjected drivers to the Continental European practice
       of driving on the right.
     * Although the United Kingdom is separated from Continental Europe by
       the English Channel, the level of cross-Channel traffic is higher
       than any other place in the world where road traffic changes sides
       of the road; the Channel Tunnel alone carries 3.5 million vehicles
       per year between the UK and France. Most vehicles crossing the
       English Channel, whether via the Channel Tunnel or on ferries, are
       UK-registered RHD vehicles. Relatively few drivers from Continental
       Europe take their LHD cars to the UK, but large numbers of British
       drivers take their RHD cars to Continental Europe for holidays and
       even for one-day shopping trips. It was reported in 2000 that
       Eurotunnel wished to build a second Channel Tunnel because the
       existing rail services are expected to outgrow their capacity by
       2025. Unlike the existing rail tunnels, a drive-through road tunnel
       was planned, comprising a single bore tunnel containing one
       carriageway on top of the other. Each carriageway would have at
       least two lanes in each direction and it is likely that the rule of
       the road would change upon passing through immigration entry
       controls. When using the existing Channel Tunnel, one passes
       through immigration entry controls of the destination country
       before entering the tunnel. This principle would no doubt also be
       used for a road tunnel, particularly to prevent any queuing of
       vehicles back into the tunnel. This being the case, vehicles
       travelling to France would keep to the right and vehicles
       travelling to the UK would keep to the left. Therefore when exiting
       the tunnel, drivers would continue directly on to the road network
       in the destination country without stopping. The current status of
       this project is unclear.

United States

   As a British colony, the original 13 States drove on the left-hand
   side. The switch to driving on the right started following
   independence, influenced by a number of factors, including gratitude
   for French help in the War of Independence, wishes to cast off links to
   the colonial past, the views of those Americans with roots in
   continental Europe, and specifically the influence of General
   Lafayette, the French liberal reformer.

   The first keep-right law in the U.S., passed in 1792, applied to the
   Pennsylvania turnpike, between Lancaster and Philadelphia. New York (in
   1804) and New Jersey (in 1813) also enacted keep-right rules.

   Early American motor vehicles were produced in RHD following the
   practice established by horse-drawn buggies. This changed in the early
   years of the 20th Century: Ford changed to LHD production in 1908, and
   Cadillac in 1916.

   Many imported RHD cars are also found on the road in the U.S.,
   especially classic cars or other collectors' items.

   Today, U.S. motor vehicles are always LHD (except some postal service
   vehicles, garbage trucks, many parking enforcement vehicles and
   uncommon specialty vehicles), and motorists always drive on the right
   and overtake on the left.

   American rules of the road sometimes permit overtaking on the right
   side (multi- lane highways, one-way streets, or when overtaking other
   vehicles preparing to turn left). The laws vary from state to state.

   The only U. S. territory where driving is on the left is the U.S.
   Virgin Islands.

Places where traffic keeps to the right

   Note: Italics indicates year of change to driving on the right.

   Afghanistan
   Albania
   Algeria
   American Samoa (US)
   Andorra
   Angola (1928)
   Argentina (1945)
   Armenia
   Aruba (Netherlands)
   Austria (1935-38)
   Azerbaijan
   Bahrain (1967)
   Belarus
   Belgium
   Belize (1961)
   Benin
   Bolivia
   Bosnia and Herzegovina
   Brazil
   British Indian Ocean Territory
   Bulgaria
   Burkina Faso
   Burundi
   Cambodia
   Cameroon (1961)
   Canada
   Cape Verde (1928)
   Central African Republic
   Chad
   Chile
   China, mainland (1946)
   Colombia
   Comoros
   Congo (Brazzaville)
   Congo (Kinsasha)
   Costa Rica
   Côte d'Ivoire
   Croatia
   Cuba
   Czech Republic (1939, details)
   Denmark 1793*
   Djibouti
   Dominican Rep.
   Ecuador
   Egypt
   El Salvador
   Equatorial Guinea
   Eritrea (1964)
   Estonia
   Ethiopia (1964)
   Faroe Islands
   Finland (1858)
   France (1789)
   French Guiana
   French Polynesia

   Gabon
   Gambia (1965)
   Georgia
   Germany
   Ghana (1974)
   Gibraltar (1929)
   Greece
   Greenland
   Guadeloupe
   Guam (US)
   Guatemala
   Guinea
   Guinea-Bissau (1928)
   Haiti
   Honduras
   Hungary (1941)
   Iceland (1968)
   Iran
   Iraq
   Israel
   Italy
   Jordan
   Kazakhstan
   Korea DPR
   Korea (1946)
   Kuwait
   Kyrgyzstan
   Laos
   Latvia
   Lebanon
   Liberia
   Libya
   Liechtenstein
   Lithuania
   Luxembourg
   Macedonia
   Madagascar
   Mali
   Marshall Islands
   Martinique (France)
   Mauritania
   Mayotte (France)
   Mexico
   Micronesia
   Midway Atoll (US)
   Moldova
   Monaco
   Mongolia
   Montenegro
   Morocco
   Myanmar (1970)
   Netherlands
   Netherlands Antilles
   New Caledonia
   Nicaragua

   Niger
   Nigeria (1972)
   Northern Mariana Is. (US)
   Norway
   Oman
   Palau
   Panama (1943)
   Paraguay (1945)
   Peru
   Philippines (1946)
   Poland
   Portugal (1928)
   Puerto Rico (US)
   Qatar
   Réunion (France)
   Romania
   Russian Federation
   Rwanda
   Saint Pierre and Miquelon (France)
   Samoa (mid-1940s?)
   San Marino
   São Tomé and Príncipe (1928)
   Saudi Arabia
   Senegal
   Serbia
   Sierra Leone (1971)
   Slovakia (1939-41, details)
   Slovenia
   Somalia (1968)
   Spain (Oct 1924)
   Sudan (1973)
   Svalbard (Norway)
   Sweden (1967, details)
   Switzerland
   Syrian Arab Republic
   Taiwan (1946)
   Tajikistan
   Togo
   Tunisia
   Turkey
   Turkmenistan
   Ukraine
   United Arab Emirates
   United States
   Uruguay (1945)
   Uzbekistan
   Vanuatu
   Vatican City
   Venezuela
   Vietnam
   Wake Island (US)
   Wallis and Futuna (France)
   Western Sahara
   Yemen

   *1758 in Copenhagen, 1793 in rest of Denmark

Places where traffic keeps to the left

   Note: Italics indicates year of change to driving on the left.

   Alderney (UK)
   Anguilla (UK)
   Antigua and Barbuda
   Australia
   Bahamas
   Bangladesh
   Barbados
   Bermuda (UK)
   Bhutan
   Botswana
   Brunei
   Cayman Islands (UK)
   Christmas Island (Australia)
   Cocos (Keeling) Islands (Australia)
   Cook Islands (New Zealand)
   Cyprus
   Dominica
   East Timor (drove on right 1928-1976)
   Falkland Islands (UK)
   Fiji
   Grenada
   Guernsey (UK)
   Guyana
   Hong Kong (unlike mainland China)
   India

   Indonesia
   Ireland
   Isle of Man (UK)
   Jamaica
   Japan ( Okinawa 1978)
   Jersey (UK)
   Kenya
   Kiribati
   Lesotho
   Macau (unlike mainland China & Portugal)
   Malawi
   Malaysia
   Maldives
   Malta
   Mauritius
   Montserrat (UK)
   Mozambique
   Namibia (1918)
   Nauru (1918)
   Nepal
   New Zealand
   Niue (New Zealand)
   Norfolk Island (Australia)
   Pakistan
   Papua New Guinea

   Pitcairn Islands (UK)
   Saint Helena (UK)
   Saint Kitts and Nevis
   Saint Lucia
   Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
   Seychelles
   Singapore
   Solomon Islands
   South Africa
   Sri Lanka
   Suriname
   Swaziland
   Tanzania
   Thailand
   Tokelau (New Zealand)
   Tonga
   Trinidad and Tobago
   Turks and Caicos Islands (UK)
   Tuvalu
   Uganda
   United Kingdom
   British Virgin Islands (UK)
   US Virgin Islands (unlike rest of US)
   Zambia
   Zimbabwe
   Retrieved from "
   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Driving_on_the_left_or_right"
   This reference article is mainly selected from the English Wikipedia
   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
   of authors and sources) and is available under the GNU Free
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