Why do foreigners drive on the left?

The practice is believed to date back to ancient Rome. Romans steered their carts and chariots with the left hand, to free up the right so they could use weapons to defend against enemy attacks. This carried over into medieval Europe and in 1773, the British government passed measures to make left-hand traffic the law.

Why do drivers in the UK drive on the left?

As most people are right-handed, the driver would sit to the right of the seat so his whip hand was free. Traffic congestion in 18th century London led to a law being passed to make all traffic on London Bridge keep to the left in order to reduce collisions. Today, only 35\% of countries drive on the left.

Can you drive on the left side in America?

List of all left- & right-driving countries around the world. 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.

Is Canada left hand drive?

What side of the road does Canada drive on? Like most of the world, Canadians drive on the right-hand side of the road. If this is your first time driving on the right, spend some time getting used to it on smaller side roads.

What percentage of countries drive on the left?

35\%
There are 163 countries that drive on the right-hand side of the road. A total of 78 countries and territories drive on the left. About one-quarter of all of the world’s roads and about 35\% of the world’s population drive on the road’s left side.

Did France drive on the left?

England was the first nation to pass an official rule, in 1773, which made driving on the left the law. France, on the other hand, chose to drive on the right.

Does Japan drive on the left?

Japan was never part of the British Empire, but its traffic also drives on the left. 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.

What country drives on the left side of the road?

The bulk of countries that drive on the left are former British colonies including South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Only four countries in Europe still drive on the left and they are all islands. They consist of the UK, the Republic of Ireland, Malta and Cyprus.