Why are you and many other countries in the world driving on the left?

You are surprised to know that up to 76 countries and territories around the world still apply the ride rules on the left side road. Why? What's the difference between driving on the right and on the left and which side driver is there first? Let's go back to history to find the answer.

According to historians, the left-hand comes from the Greek, Egyptian, and Roman times. Most people are right-handed, one riding a horse with his left hand or driving a cart with his left hand, and his right hand is free to greet the person who goes against or is willing to draw the sword to fight or defend when needed.

Why are you and many other countries in the world driving on the left? Picture 1
The Romans controlled horses with their left hand.

From that habit, walking to the left becomes a tradition and then is set into law. The law on the left is very well applied in Roman times.

By 1300 BC, Pope Boniface VIII asked for instructions on how to force all pilgrims to Rome to go to the left of the road.

The way to move is also gradually shifting to the right because people no longer carry a dance when traveling on the road. By the end of the 18th century, carriage drivers in the US and France began using pairs of horses to transport agricultural products. These cars do not have a seating position for humans, so the drivers must sit on the back of the last horse on the left to whip their right hand. Because of sitting on the left, you will want someone to walk in the opposite direction to your left to easily observe the collision. Therefore, you must go to the right of the road.

In 1792, the law mandated traffic participants towards the right side of the road to be issued in the US state of Pennsylvania. In the following years, other states also adopted this law.

After the French Revolution of 1789, Napoleon asked soldiers under the right to go right and into rows, then this rule also applies to vehicles. The Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Poland, Italy, and Spain, allies allied with France have also established ways to go right. In Austria the ways in each city have different modes of transportation, but then the country agreed to go right.

Why are you and many other countries in the world driving on the left? Picture 2

Both South Korea and Korea after escaping from Japanese occupation in 1946 also moved to the right. Later, Czechoslovakia and Sweden also chose to go to the right. In the US, people first chose to go to the left but then moved to the right.

In the UK, since 1773, the government has set a standard for driving on the left side of the road.

Both England and France apply their own driving style to colonial countries. So far, some of the former British colonies still keep the tradition of left-hand ride like India, Indonesia, .

African countries choose to move to the right or left because of the influence of neighboring countries. Some of the former British colonies had moved to the right, followed by the neighboring countries which were French colonies. Some other Portuguese colonial countries changed their neighbors' movements, which were British colonies.

Why are you and many other countries in the world driving on the left? Picture 3

In the driving countries on the left, the cars also design the steering wheel accordingly, ie on the left. But in some parts of the world, such as the US Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Turks & Caicos Islands and the Bahamas, although driving on the left, there is a steering wheel on the left due to most vehicles. All transfers are imported from the US and Brazil.

The places where the driving law applies

Why are you and many other countries in the world driving on the left? Picture 4
Driving countries on the left (blue)

Although contrary to the trend of the world, the driver on the left is still traditional and regulated in the country of fog. In addition to the UK, many other countries still apply this rule.

British territories and British autonomous regions : British Virgin Islands, St. John's Island Helena, Anguilla Island, Cayman Islands, Isle of Man Island, Falkland Islands, Montserrat Island, Turks & Caicos Islands.

Asia : Bhutan, Bangladesh, Brunei, India, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Macau, Japan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Singapore, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand.

Europe : Ireland and Northern Ireland, Cyprus, Malta, Wales, Scotland.

Africa : Kenya, Botswana, Lesotho, Mauritius, Malawi, Mozambique, Seychelles, Namibia, South Africa, Surinam, Tanzania, Swaziland, Tonga, Rwanda, Zambia, Trinidad & Tobago, Zimbabwe.

America : Bahamas, Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Bermuda, Grenada, Jamaica, Guyana, St Kitts & Nevis, US Virgin Islands, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & Grenadines.

Oceania : Fiji, New Zealand, Australia, Samoa, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands.