In lht vehicles keep left, and cars are rhd righthand drive with the steering wheel on the righthand side and the driver sitting on the offside or side closest to the center of the road. Nov 01, 20 in italy and the rest of europe apart from the uk, we drive on the right, so the driver s seat is still on the left side. This world map shows which side of the road traffic drives on in each country. Why do different countries drive on different sides of the. The driving seat is usually on the right side of the vehicle, hence the. Remember automobiles and pretty much everything else was creted by americans. Why, overseas, cars driver seat is on the right side, and in. Right hand drive vehicles for sale us legal jdm imports. The passenger sits on the nearside, closest to the curb. Guide to which countries drive on the left left hand.
On most righthand drive vehicles, the turn signal is on the right side of the steering wheel and the. Trolleys, buses, and disembarking passengers always have the right of way in all scandinavian countries. Driving on the left or right mcgill university school of. What is the reason behind left and right hand drive in. Train yourself to approach the right side to get in the driver s seat. If a bus passenger gets off at an intersection, you are to wait until they cross the. Why americans and brits drive on opposite sides readers. A fundamental element to traffic flow, it is sometimes referred to as the rule of the road. It would make more sense that the throne wanted to differentiate by making it the opposite.
Why do some countries drive on the left and others on the. Conversely, driving on the lefthand side of the road usually implies that the drivers seat is on the righthand side of the car. The other two thirds of the countries in the world drive on the right including the usa, china and russia. Oct 31, 2018 lefthand side traffic was actually the worldwide norm for a long time, and the split boils down to two main factors the fact that most people are righthanded, and the fact that countries. Around 70% of australian cars are automatic transmission. Now the question becomes, why do some cars have their steering wheels on the left or right side of the car. In addition to driving on the left side of the road, foreign drivers must remember to stay on that left side after theyve turned. Why do cars in some countries outside the us have the. In countries with right side driving, the drivers seat is on the left, while left hand countries have drivers seats on the right. Rht is used in 165 countries and territories, with the remaining 75 countries. Now the question becomes, why do some countries drive on the left while others drive on the right. According to national geographic, this influenced a change in many countries. Nearly 75% of countries in the world require drivers to drive on the right side of traffic. Jan 11, 2019 this is a summary of countries who drive on the left side of the road.
Britain went on to introduce the lefthand side driving convention in all colonised countries. This strange quirk perplexes the rest of the world, but there is a perfectly good reason. Those marked in red drive on the right and those in blue drive on the left. How to adjust to driving a car on the left side of the road. The southern countries of africa drive on the left, while the remainder of africa drives on the right. 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. Myanmar formerly burma was a british colony until 1948, and drove on the left until 1970, when it changed sides. If youre used to driving on the right hand side of the road, this can be a challenge to remember especially when pulling out into traffic. That puts the driver nearest the centerline of the roadway. So why does 65% of the worlds population drive on the right side of the road.
Apr 12, 2020 in countries with right side driving, the driver s seat is on the left, while left hand countries have drivers seats on the right. Today just four european countries still drive on the left. Canada, italy, and spain changed to rightside driving in the 1920s and most of eastern europe followed suit in the. It isnt, do your research, your information is woefully inadequate. A righthand drive vehicle has its steering wheel on the right side. In the absence of a drivers seat inside the wagon, the driver sat on the rear left horse, with his right arm free to use his whip to keep the horses moving. Hungary, iceland, iran, iraq, israel, italy, jordan, kazakhstan, koreanorth. Discover where signal lights and windshield wipers are. All the green colored countries drive on the right side and all the orange colored. 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. And of course, as we know, britain drives on the left, while just a short ferry ride away, belgium and the netherlands drive, you know, on the wrong side i.
Why do different countries drive on different sides of the road. It is illegal to drive a newer right hand drive car in the us. In left hand drive countries, the traffic if on the right side but the driver sits is on the. I know that japan, uk and australia have right side 04 09 prius driver seats with height adjust. Jun 17, 2008 old man dirt is correct for the most part. Canada used to drive on the left but changed to the right to make border crossings with the usa more manageable. This map shows worldwide which side of the road traffic drives on by country. Almost always, in countries where one drives on the righthand side of the road, the cars are built so that the driver sits on the lefthand side of the car.
If youre in a right country, then dont drive on the left. Most australian cars are fitted with rightsided driver s seats, and this might be difficult for foreign drivers to get used to in addition to the reversed road position. All the countries where the traffic has to move in left lane, the drivers seat is on the right side. Always drive on the left hand side of the road in new zealand. North korea, although it drives on the right, imported various used rhd. Righthand drive definition and meaning collins english. How to buy righthanddrive cars in the usa automoblog. Buy with confidence knowing every jeep we sell goes through a 120point inspection and comes backed with a powertrain warranty we realize you cant buy a factory right hand jeep just anywhere, thats why we ensure the entire process is convenient. Canada, italy, and spain changed to lefthand drive cars in the 1920s, most of eastern europe followed in the 1930s and nigeria also followed suit. Are you interested in providing staffing support to an individual with a disability or are you in need of support staff for a family member with a disability. As you can see, most former british colonies, with some exceptions, drive on. In both cases, the seat positions the driver close to the middle of the road for better visibility. Australians drive on the left side of the road and the majority of vehicles have the steering wheel on their right side.
In my opinion the seat is provided on the opposite side because while overtaking if a vehicle is approaching you from opposite side then you can judge the clearance and speed required in a much better way. The reason isnt the steering wheel location but because of the age. South america, europe, central asia, the middle east, and northern africa. Your opinion about which is the correct side to drive on, likely depends on where you live. And of course, as we know, britain drives on the left, while just a short ferry ride away, belgium and the netherlands drive, you know, on the wrong side i mean, on the right side. Today i found out why some countries drive on the right and some countries drive on the left. Over 1,000 high quality right hand drive vehicles sold since 2007. Why some people drive on the right, and some on the left. Number of countries drive on the righthand side of the road. Drivers from other countries that are recognised by ireland can drive on their current. There are surprisingly few land borders on earth where righthanddrive countries meet lefthanddrive. There are 76 countries, territories and dependencies which drive on the left. American steering wheels havent always been on the.
Lhd cars left hand drive cars left hand cars germany. When henry ford unveiled his model t in 1908, the driver s seat was on the left, meaning that cars would have to drive on the right hand side of the road to allow front and back passengers to exit the car onto the curb. Why do cars in some countries outside the us have the driver seat. Is the drivers side considered the left side or right when it. Guyana and suriname are the only countries in south america to drive on the left. Previously, nearly all manufacturers placed the driver on the outer, curbside of the car so that an alighting driver could step out onto a grassy verge or. Thus, most american cars produced before 1910 were made with rightside driver seating, although intended for rightside driving. The real reason north americans and brits drive on different sides of the road. Old british bikes have the gear shift lever on the right side this arrangement is correct for left driving countries because when you make a very tight uturn on a bike turning to the right, you occasionally place the right foot on the ground. Interestingly, in dualcontrol airplanes, the captain always sits on the left side of the plane as you might expect, but in helicopters, the captain sits on the right hand side. United states and many other countries see details delivery. These are some of the best tips for driving abroad from driving in over 20 countries around the world. Guide to which countries drive on the left left hand drive cars. About a 35% of the world population drives on the left, and the countries that do are mostly old british colonies.
The driver seat is on the right side in countries or regions that drive on the left of the road. Until this, though, long after a law was passed in 1792 mandating that vehicles. Apr 07, 2020 the other two thirds of the countries in the world drive on the right including the usa, china and russia. Use this guide and country list to find out which countries are left or right hand drive, make sure you are on the right side of the road. In italy and the rest of europe apart from the uk, we drive on the right, so the drivers seat is still on the left side. Used cars for sale right steering 43,284 results 15 cars 24 cars 48 cars 96 cars. In fact, ford only made the change to make it easier for people entering on the passenger side to avoid oncoming traffic. Currently around 66% of the worlds population live in countries which drive on the right side of the road, usually but not always in vehicles with the drivers seat on the left. It is britain that has right hand drive, and they drive on the left side of the road. Why some countries drive on the right and some countries. Many countries, such as britain, drive on the left side of the road, with the driver s seat on the right of the car.
Custom mail trays, flashers and strobes, and complete sign and magnetic door protector packages for rural mail route vehicles. In countries where you drive on the left such as the uk and japan, the drivers sit on the right. Why americans and brits drive on opposite sides readers digest. Cars on the continent drive on the right side, and have left hand drive, exactly the same as in north america. Cars are always made with the drivers side the side closest to the center of the road, so that the driver can see the cars that are going in the opposite direction. Click here for a world map and a full list of all countries of the world and the side of the road on which they drive. Gradually, car manufactures began putting the seat on one side or the other.
Drive left or right which countries drive on the left or. Most australian cars are fitted with rightsided drivers seats, and this might be difficult for foreign drivers to get used to in addition to the reversed road position. Jun 25, 2010 britain and indiabecause of british rule drive on the left side. Green coloured countries drive on the right, orange countries drive on the left. This includes england, scotland, wales, ireland, northern ireland. Jun 26, 2010 cars are always made with the driver s side the side closest to the center of the road, so that the driver can see the cars that are going in the opposite direction. In ireland they drive on the left side of the road and the drivers side is on the right hand drive of the car. Obviously none of the previous answers were given by people who really looked it up, or ever lived in europe. British horseback riders used to ride on the left hand side of the road. Since he was sitting on the left, he wanted other wagons to pass on his left, so he kept to the right side of the road. Heres how to drive a righthand drive nissan skyline gtr. So when you get in a righthand drive car, you instinctively start to do the very same thing.
Drive left or right which countries drive on the left or right. Many countries, such as britain, drive on the left side of the road, with the drivers seat on the right of the car. If you plan to rent a car in the uk or any other country that drives on the left and you usually drive on the right, you should take extreme care for the first. The road signs are in italian, but as with road signs everywhere, they tend to rely more on symbols and place names than phrases. Others have answered the question, but ill give you one exception. Since he was sitting on the left, he wanted other wagons to pass on his left, so he kept to the right. A photo of a highway in england, showing traffic driving on the left hand side. Curious any foreign countries with left hand driver seat. Apr 29, 2015 the map above shows which countries drive on the wrong side of the road.
Click here if you want to find out the history behind driving on the left or right this world map shows which side of the road traffic drives on. Buy with confidence knowing every jeep we sell goes through a 120point inspection and comes backed with a powertrain warranty. Why the driver seat is in the left side in some countries. Uk, australia, usa, costa rica now, no matter where i travel to in the world, nor after how long the intervening period, it takes me nothing more than 25 minutes to completely swap mentally into the correct driving mode. North korea, rht, 1946, was lht during the period of japanese rule. The support staff registry is the place to make connections. Countries with left and righthand traffic, currently and formerly. Before the 1908 launch of the ford motor companys model t, virtually every car in the united states placed the steering wheel on the right. North cyprus unrecognised, selfdeclared state, drives on the left. In many countries automobiles are produced with the steering wheel on the left side of the car instead of the right side.
Each state has the authority to set its own traffic laws and issue driving licenses, although these laws are largely the same and licenses from other states are respected throughout the coun. Driving in the united states is a frequent occurrence, with the majority of americans using private automobiles as their primary form of transportation to their workplace. Why north americans and brits drive on opposite sides. Although the majority drive on the right, there is no global standard driving system which causes some. Heres how to drive a righthand drive nissan skyline gtr in. Below it you can also find the full list of countries that drive on the left or the right.
In most countries, people can import cars which are engineered to drive on the wrong side of the road and use them legally on the open road, but this is not always the case, so people exploring import options may want to check with local officials. In ireland they drive on the left side of the road and the driver s side is on the right hand drive of the car. On the right side of the road general highway history. There are numerous theories as to why some countries drive on the left and some on the right. Please roll your mouse over countries for more info. The driver seat is on the right side in countries or regions that drive on the left of the. All traffic remains to the right and passing is from the left and oncoming traffic comes from the left. Lhd cars left hand drive cars in left hand drive countries, the traffic if on the right side but the driver sits is on the left. No matter what side of the road one drives on, in most countries, cars are specifically engineered to drive on a specific side of the road. Why do some countries drive on the left and others on the right. We drive on the left hand side of the road and our vehicles seat the driver on the right.
This world map shows which side of the road traffic drives on. It is said that in 1970 the ruler of the country at that time, general ne win, ordered everyone to start driving on the. What happens when lefthand roads meet righthand roads. Relevant new arrivals car price low to high car price high to low delivery price low to high delivery price high to low year new to old year old to new mileage low to high mileage high to low engine high to low engine low to high discount % high to low discount. The majority of countries now drive on the right, in left hand drive vehicles.
This is a summary of countries who drive on the left side of the road. To help become accustomed to sitting on this side, remember that the oncoming traffic will be coming on the side of your right shoulder. When henry ford unveiled his model t in 1908, the drivers seat was on the left, meaning that cars would have to drive on the right hand side of the road to allow front and back passengers to. The gear stick in a manual transmission is operated by the left hand. When henry ford unveiled his model t in 1908, the driver s seat was on the left, meaning that cars would have to drive on the right hand side of the road to allow front and back passengers to. Many early cars had the driver s seat in the center of the car rather than on one side or the other.
In the absence of a driver s seat inside the wagon, the driver sat on the rear left horse, with his right arm free to use his whip to keep the horses moving. When hiring a car, manual transmission stickshift is generally only offered as an option for the cheapest small cars. In which countries are vehicles drivers seats on the. Why is the drivers seat on the right side in europe. You may find yourself in the left side without a steering wheel many times before it becomes familiar.
One central characteristic of the model t now generally forgotten is that it was the first car of consequence to put the drivers seat on the lefthand side. Is the drivers side considered the left side or right when it comes to parts saying rh side. The drivers seat is always on the same side of the car as the steering wheel. Number of countries drive on the lefthand side of the road. It is password protected and allows you to search in a variety of areas. Conversely, driving on the lefthand side of the road usually implies that the driver s seat is on the righthand side of the car. Buying your factory right hand drive postal vehicle from us drive right is easy. Ive noticed that carsautomobiles manufactured for countries with righthand traffic where vehicles drive on the right hand side of the road place the drivers seat on the left hand side of the car from the drivers perspective, and carsautomobiles manufactured for countries with lefthand traffic where vehicles drive on the left hand side of the road place the drivers seat on the right. Just curious if any countries have left side driver seat with height adjust, thanks. Jul 20, 2014 the southern countries of africa drive on the left, while the remainder of africa drives on the right.
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. Europe generally drives on the right hand side apart from cyprus, ireland, malta and the united kingdom. Lefthand side traffic was actually the worldwide norm for a long time, and the split boils down to two main factors the fact that most. While this is common knowledge, its easy to get confused, especially on strange roads in a new country. Is the drivers side considered the left side or right when. 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. Why in the outer countries the drivers seat is in left. Before his exploits, most of the world drove or rode on the left, simply because you usually mount a horse from the left. Uk, australia, ireland, japan, india, thailand, new zealand, south africa, jamaica, hong kong, malta, kenia, malaysia, cyprus, singapore a. Lefthand traffic lht and righthand traffic rht are the practice, in bidirectional. Lefthand traffic lht and right hand traffic rht are the practice, in bidirectional traffic, of keeping to the left side or to the right side of the road, respectively.
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