Have you ever visited a country where everyone was driving on the ‘wrong’ side of the road?
That’s because only about a third of the world's population (35%), especially former British colonies, drives on the left.
The rest of the world is baffled by this peculiar driving behaviour. Yet, there is a perfectly valid explanation.
According to WorldStandards, since feudal, violent cultures were the norm wayback when, practically everyone used to drive on the left side of the road.
Swordsmen kept left (since most people were right-handed). This allowed them to have their right arm closer to their opponent and their scabbards farther away.
Okay, but why do so many countries drive on the right?
Teamsters in France and the US started transporting farm goods in large carts drawn by a band of horses in the late 1700s. With no driver’s seat to speak of – these drivers sat on the left to free up their right arms for lashing the horses (all this still according to the tale as told by WorldStandards).
As you would expect, these early travellers wanted everyone to pass on the left, closest to their person. In this way, they could glance down to ensure they didn't bump wheels with approaching wagons. So, they kept right.
Driving on the right has become more commonplace around the globe over time. Britain has made a valiant effort to stave off this tendency (along with their former colonies in Africa, Australia, and India, with the exception Egypt).
In short – we drive on the left because of the Brits.
Percentages of countries that drive on the left or right by continent.
The Caribbean, Southern Asia, and Oceania have the highest proportion of countries that drive on the left.
| Continent | Subcategories | Left-hand Traffic | Right-hand Traffic |
| Africa | Africa | 25% | 75% |
| America | Caribbean
Central America North America South America |
77%
0% 0% 21% |
23%
100% 100% 79% |
| Asia | Central Asia
Eastern Asia South East Asia Southern Asia Western Asia |
0%
38% 55% 78% 6% |
100%
63% 45% 22% 94% |
| Europe | Europe | 10% | 90% |
| Oceania | Oceania | 71% | 29% |
For a full list of countries that drive on the left or right and those that switch sides click here.
More tales and facts regarding left-hand driving.
- Almost all countries that have switched sides have done so from left to right. The only three instances of a shift from right to left that have been documented are in East Timor (1975), Okinawa (30 July 1978), and Samoa (7 September 2009).
- An April Fool’s Day newspaper article stated that the UK might switch to driving on the right to further European integration. However, due to the enormous amount of effort involved for this change over, it would be implemented gradually; in the first six months, only buses and taxis would be subject to the rule (no, that’s not dangerous at all).
- Up until 1948, Myanmar (previously Burma) was a British colony, and so drove on the left. General Ne Win, the dictator who ruled the nation at the time, is claimed to have issued an order for everyone to begin driving on the right side of the road. However, since there are still many old cars and buses there and new imports from Japan, almost all vehicles are right-hand-drives. Old traffic signs that are on the wrong side of the road are still visible in downtown Rangoon.
- For more interesting titbits, proceed to here.
