You’re sitting in a rental car at Heathrow, sweating. Your left hand is fumbling for a gear stick that isn't there because it's actually to your left, and the rearview mirror is in a spot that feels fundamentally "wrong." For about 35% of the world’s population, this is just Tuesday. But for the rest of us, drive left side countries represent a stressful logistical hurdle that feels like learning to write with your non-dominant hand while hurtling at 60 miles per hour.
Why do we do this? Honestly, it’s mostly down to ancient horse riders and British stubbornness. Back in the day, most people were right-handed. If you’re riding a horse on a narrow path, you want your right hand—your sword hand—free to greet or fight someone coming the other way. Staying to the left was the tactical choice. It was the law of the land in feudal Europe until a certain short-ish French general named Napoleon decided to flip the script.
The Geography of the Left-Hand Turn
Most people assume it’s just the UK and its former colonies. That’s a massive oversimplification. Yes, the British Empire exported the "left-hand" rule to places like India, Australia, and South Africa, but the map is weirder than that. Take Japan. Japan was never a British colony. Yet, they drive on the left. Why? Because in the late 1800s, when they were building their first railway system, they asked the British for technical help. The British built the tracks for left-hand running, and the car culture just followed suit.
Currently, there are about 75 countries and territories that stick to the left. It’s a diverse list. You’ve got tiny island nations like Malta and Mauritius, and then you have giants like Indonesia and Pakistan.
It’s not a static map, either. Countries change. Samoa is a fascinating case study here. In 2009, they actually switched from the right side to the left side. Why would a country voluntarily go through that nightmare? Basically, they wanted to import cheaper cars from Australia and New Zealand. The Prime Minister at the time, Tuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi, faced massive protests, but he pushed it through. It’s one of the few modern examples of a "flip" that worked.
How to Not Crash in London or Tokyo
If you’re heading to one of these drive left side countries, the anxiety is real. The biggest danger isn't actually the driving; it's the turns.
In a right-hand drive country, a right turn is the "big" turn across traffic. In a left-hand drive country, it’s the opposite. The left turn is the easy one. The right turn is where you’ll accidentally drift into the wrong lane because your brain is screaming that you’re doing it wrong.
Survival Tactics for the Inverted Road
- Follow the leader. If there’s a car in front of you, stay behind them. Don't try to be a hero and overtake until you’ve been driving for at least three days.
- The "Hugging" Rule. Keep the center line of the road next to the driver’s side window. If you’re the driver and you’re looking out your side window and seeing the sidewalk, you are probably in the wrong lane and about to have a very bad day.
- Roundabouts are your enemy. In the UK or Australia, you enter a roundabout and move clockwise. It feels unnatural. Look right, give way to the right, and just keep moving. Whatever you do, don't stop in the middle.
- Automatic is king. Don't try to be a purist. If you’re used to driving on the right, your brain is already working overtime. Shifting gears with your left hand is a recipe for stalling out at a busy intersection in downtown Nairobi. Rent an automatic.
The Economics of the Left Side
It’s expensive to be different. Car manufacturers hate it. Producing "Right Hand Drive" (RHD) versions of vehicles requires a completely different assembly line setup. The steering rack, the dashboard, the pedal box—everything has to be mirrored. This is why certain cool car models never make it to the UK or Australian markets; the volume just doesn't justify the engineering cost.
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On the flip side, this creates unique markets. Many drive left side countries in Africa or the Caribbean end up importing used vehicles from Japan because the Japanese market is huge and they also drive on the left. This creates a strange secondary economy of "JDM" (Japanese Domestic Market) cars appearing in places like Cyprus or Jamaica.
Interestingly, some countries are "mixed." In the US Virgin Islands, they drive on the left side of the road, but almost all the cars are American imports with the steering wheel on the left side. It’s a chaotic mess where the driver is sitting against the curb rather than the center line. It’s objectively terrifying for about twenty minutes, and then you just sort of get used to it.
The Great Switch: Why Most Moved Right
Most of the world used to be "lefties." So what happened?
The United States is largely responsible for the global shift. In the late 1700s, teamsters in the US started using large freight wagons pulled by several pairs of horses. The driver sat on the rear left horse so he could keep his right arm free to lash the team. Since he was sitting on the left, he wanted people to pass on his left so he could look down and make sure he wasn't clipping the wheels of the oncoming wagon. Thus, driving on the right was born.
When Henry Ford started pumping out the Model T, he put the steering wheel on the left side. Because Ford dominated the global market, the "right-hand traffic" standard became the default for the burgeoning automotive industry.
Sweden was one of the last European holdouts. On September 3, 1967—a day known as Dagen H (H-Day)—the entire country switched from the left to the right overnight. It was a massive logistical feat. They had to replace every single road sign and repaint every line in the country. Surprisingly, accident rates actually dropped for a few months afterward because everyone was being so incredibly careful.
A Nuanced Look at the "Wrong" Side
Is driving on the left actually safer? Some researchers, like those cited in various British transport studies, have argued that because most people are "right-eye dominant," sitting on the right side of the car (as you do in left-side driving) allows the dominant eye to monitor oncoming traffic and the rearview mirror more effectively.
It’s a marginal gain, sure. But it’s a point of pride for many in the RHD world.
The reality of drive left side countries is that they are shrinking. As global trade becomes more integrated, the pressure to standardize is immense. However, for islands and isolated nations, there’s no real incentive to change. The cost of switching infrastructure in a place like India or the United Kingdom would be trillions of dollars. It’s just not going to happen.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Trip
If you're planning a trip to an RHD country, don't just wing it.
First, get an International Driving Permit (IDP). Even if your license is valid, many rental agencies in countries like Japan or Thailand will refuse you without that specific piece of paper. It’s cheap and saves a headache at the counter.
Second, spend thirty minutes on YouTube watching "POV driving" videos in your destination city. Watch how they navigate intersections. It sounds nerdy, but it builds the visual neural pathways you need so your first real-life turn isn't a disaster.
Third, when you first pull out of the rental lot, say "Stay Left" out loud. Literally. Every time you turn, say it. The most dangerous moment isn't when you're in heavy traffic; it’s when you’re on a quiet backroad with no other cars to guide you and your "autopilot" brain takes over.
Lastly, check the pedestrian rules. In London, the roads are painted with "LOOK LEFT" or "LOOK RIGHT" at crosswalks for a reason. Tourists get hit by buses every year because they look the wrong way before stepping off the curb. Your muscle memory is your enemy here. Be intentional. Be slow. And maybe, just maybe, let someone else drive for the first day.
The world is divided, and it's probably going to stay that way. Embracing the left side is just part of the adventure of global travel. It's a reminder that "normal" is entirely geographic.
Check your mirrors, take a breath, and remember: keep the center line to your right.