Ever found yourself standing on a curb in London or Tokyo, looking the wrong way, and nearly getting flattened by a bus? It’s a rite of passage for most travelers. You’ve probably wondered why on earth some places just won’t get with the program and drive on the "normal" side.
Well, "normal" is a matter of perspective.
Around 75 countries and territories currently stick to the left side of the road. That’s roughly 30% of the world’s population. It’s not just the UK and its former colonies, though they make up the bulk of the list. There’s a messy, fascinating history involving knights, samurai, and a very short French guy that explains how we ended up with this global split.
Honestly, the term what countries are left hand drive is a bit of a linguistic trap. Technically, if you drive on the left side of the road, your car is usually "Right Hand Drive" (RHD) because the steering wheel sits on the right. If you’re in the US or most of Europe, you’re in a "Left Hand Drive" (LHD) car on the right side of the road. Confusing? Totally. But for the sake of how most people search for it, we’re talking about the "Keep-Left" nations.
The Global Map: Where the Lefties Live
Most of these countries share a common ancestor: the British Empire. When the Brits colonized half the world, they brought their road rules with them. But there are some weird outliers that were never under the British crown, yet they still drive on the left.
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Europe’s Island Holdouts
In Europe, the "Keep-Left" club is tiny. It’s basically just the islands.
- The United Kingdom: The mothership of left-side driving.
- Ireland: They kept the tradition after independence.
- Malta and Cyprus: Both Mediterranean islands with deep British ties.
There are also a few oddities like the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands (Jersey and Guernsey). If you’re driving in mainland Europe, you’re almost exclusively on the right. Sweden was the last major mainland holdout, but they famously switched sides on a single day in 1967—an event known as Dagen H.
The Asian Powerhouses
Asia has a massive "Left-Hand Traffic" (LHT) footprint.
- Japan: This is the big one. Japan was never a British colony. So why the left? It dates back to the Edo period. Samurai wore their swords on the left hip. If they passed each other on the right, their scabbards might clank together—which was basically an invitation to a duel. To keep the peace, they walked (and later drove) on the left.
- India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh: A massive chunk of the global population drives on the left here, a direct legacy of the British Raj.
- Thailand: Another non-colony that drives on the left. Some say it was a gift of a carriage from Queen Victoria to the Thai King that sparked the trend.
- Indonesia and Suriname: These are fascinating. They were Dutch colonies. The Netherlands actually used to drive on the left until Napoleon conquered them and forced them to the right. However, the Dutch never bothered to change the rules in their far-off colonies.
Oceania and Africa
Australia and New Zealand are strictly left-side. It’s so ingrained there that the idea of switching is a political non-starter.
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In Africa, you’ll find a solid block in the south and east. South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe all keep to the left. Mozambique is a rare case; it was a Portuguese colony (Portugal drives on the right), but because it’s surrounded by "lefty" neighbors, it switched to make cross-border trade easier.
Why Didn't Everyone Just Pick One Side?
It’s mostly Napoleon’s fault.
Before the late 1700s, almost everyone stayed on the left. Why? Because most people are right-handed. If you’re riding a horse and meet a stranger, you want your right hand (your sword hand) between you and them. It was a safety thing.
Then came the French Revolution. Napoleon was left-handed, and he found it easier to lead his armies if they stayed on the right. As he conquered Europe, he forced everyone from Germany to Spain to switch sides. The British, being stubbornly anti-Napoleon, made a point of keeping to the left just to spite him.
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In America, the shift happened because of big freight wagons. The drivers sat on the left-rear horse so they could use their right hand to whip the whole team. To see the wheels of oncoming wagons and avoid a collision, they had to pass on the right.
The Samoa Flip: A Modern Twist
Most countries that change sides do it to "join the majority." Canada switched in the 1920s to match the US. But in 2009, Samoa did something wild. They switched from the right to the left.
Why? Because they wanted to import cheap second-hand cars from Australia and New Zealand. It’s a rare example of a country going "against the grain" for purely economic reasons.
Survival Tips for Switching Sides
If you’re traveling to one of these what countries are left hand drive regions, don't panic. You’ll probably spend the first ten minutes turning on your windshield wipers instead of your blinkers (the stalks are usually swapped).
- Follow the Leader: Don't be the first car at a red light if you can help it. Follow the guy in front of you.
- The "Driver in the Middle" Rule: Whether you're in London or New York, the driver should always be seated closest to the center line of the road. If you're near the curb, you're doing it wrong.
- Roundabouts are Clockwise: This is the hardest part to wrap your brain around. Give way to the right.
Driving on the "other" side isn't nearly as scary as it sounds after the first hour. Just remember that in Japan, India, or the UK, "left" is right and "right" is wrong.
If you're planning a trip soon, check your rental agreement carefully. Many people mistakenly book a manual transmission car in an RHD country, and trying to shift gears with your left hand while navigating a London intersection is a level of stress nobody needs on vacation. Verify the transmission type and grab a local SIM card for GPS—you're going to need those lane-guidance prompts.