Is car traffic in Russia left-hand or right-hand? The answer to this question is quite simple. But what about other states? How do people drive on the roads of Africa, Britain or distant Australia?

Geography of the phenomenon: countries with left-hand traffic

The origin of this or that geographical phenomenon (casus) can be explained on the basis of historical features, features of the national mentality, or random factors. So, all countries of the world are divided into two groups: states in which they drive on the right side, and those in which left-hand traffic is accepted. The former are much more numerous, since right-handers predominate among the world's population. For such people, right-hand traffic is much more natural. But far from all countries and peoples went "with the flow", adopting left-hand traffic.

In what countries of the world is it common? Vehicles drive on the left side in 47 states of our planet (or about 34% of the world's population). These countries are mainly concentrated in Oceania, Southeast Asia and South Africa.

The most famous example of a state where left-hand traffic is accepted is Great Britain. In this country, it was officially legalized as early as 1756. Other notable examples are Australia, India, Jamaica, Indonesia, Japan, Thailand, South Africa. Most of these states are in Asia (17). In Europe, only three countries drive on the left side of the road: the UK, neighboring Ireland, and Malta.

All countries that drive on the left are marked in green on the map below.

Why is that? Hypotheses of the emergence of left-hand traffic

Left-hand traffic originated in Britain. There are two main versions of why the British decided to drive on the left side:

• marine;
• knightly.

Everyone knows that Britain is a maritime power. The traditions and rules of the open ocean are very firmly established in the everyday life of the British. According to the old rules, British ships had to bypass each other exclusively on the left. It is assumed that later this rule migrated to land.

The second hypothesis can be considered rather legendary. The knights of medieval England preferred to ride on the left side of the road: it was supposedly more convenient for them to greet other riders passing by, or to meet the enemy with weapons in hand.

In the XVIII-XIX centuries, the tradition of left-hand traffic also spread to other countries of the world. Almost all of them were somehow connected with Britain: they were its colonies (like Australia), or were friends with it (like Japan, for example).

States that changed the movement

There are many examples when countries have changed their traffic patterns. This happened for various reasons: political, geographical or quite pragmatic.

The most iconic example of the transition to the opposite traffic system in Europe can be considered Sweden, which decided to take this step in 1967. This day (September 3) entered the history of the state under the name H-Day. The reason was purely geographical: all countries neighboring Sweden were right-handed, which created a lot of problems when crossing the border. By the way, on the borders of countries with different directions of traffic, special and impressive interchanges are being built on the roads. Such exist between Thailand and Laos, Brazil and Guyana, China and Hong Kong.

Some states switched to another traffic pattern solely on the principle of "annoying yesterday's occupiers." This is what Korea did in 1946, liberated from Japanese occupation. So did the United States in 1776, declaring its independence from Britain.

There are examples in the world when countries switched from right-hand traffic to left-hand traffic. This is the island nation of Samoa. The reason for this move is quite pragmatic: the country was oversaturated with used cars from Australia, in which the steering wheel was on the right side. The decision to switch to left-hand traffic in Samoa was made in 2009.

As for Russia, right-hand traffic was originally rooted here. True, in the Far East, in many cars, the steering wheel is located on the right side. The thing is that there are a lot of used cars here that came from Japan (where, as you know, the left-hand traffic scheme is adopted).

Finally

Researchers still cannot unequivocally answer the question of how left-hand traffic arose.

In what countries of the world is it common? Everything is simple here. First of all, this is the UK, as well as 46 other states. Almost all of them, to a greater or lesser extent, were historically connected with the former empire, and therefore brought this unusual "habit" into their lives.

Even before the invention of the automobile, man noticed that following a common agreement to drive on one side of the road helps to reduce vehicle collisions and traffic jams. As car travel became common, most governments adopted an agreement for drivers to drive on the right side of the road. However, some states, due to various features, have preferred left-hand driving. Read more about how many countries have made such a decision and why - in our review material.

What influences the choice of direction in different countries

Today, a third of the world's population drives on the left side of the road, and almost as many of all the world's freeways are left-handed. Thus, right-hand traffic is used much more often. This is explained by historical traditions and the fact that most people on the planet are right-handed. So, when riding in horse-drawn sleds, the rider could quickly turn to the right (in order, for example, to avoid a collision with another carriage or a traveler on a narrow road) than to the left, since it is the right hand that is stronger and better developed.
Later, when horseless carriages, controlled by a lever, appeared, the drivers also had to make considerable efforts to control. It was better to control with the right hand. Most likely, it was this physiological feature that led to the fact that right-handed driving became traditional, and later normalized.

Important! Despite the assurances of right-hand drive adherents about the greater safety of left-hand drive, experts argue that the direction of movement does not in any way affect the number of accidents. Safety on highways can only be ensured by proper transport and strict adherence to traffic rules.

However, there are other versions that claim that movement along the left side of the road appeared earlier (in particular, this is how they moved in the Roman Empire). And the first documented law that ordered the citizens of the country to keep to the left was the bill of 1756 adopted in England. It talked about the norm to move in this way on London Bridge. The law also established a fine for violation - a pound of silver.
A quarter of a century later, in Britain, at the legislative level, it was prescribed to drive on the left side of all the roads of the state. Later, since Great Britain became a colonial power, all its colonies also had to obey this law and switch to left-hand traffic. So, the tradition of such a ride came to India, Pakistan and Australia, where the influence of England was very high.

If we talk about the factors that influenced the choice of the direction of movement in Europe and the United States, then historians argue that France and its authority among the world community in the era of Napoleon played a huge role here. Thus, countries that supported the policy of the French emperor (in particular, Switzerland, Holland, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain) followed the French and legalized right-hand driving.

Those who did not share it and were in opposition to the head of France preferred to move on the left side. We are talking about such countries as the UK already mentioned above, as well as Austria-Hungary and Portugal.
Historical traditions to influence the choice of direction of movement did not stop at the above countries. Next in line was Japan - the land of the rising sun. According to historians, the samurai fastened their sword on their left side. And in order not to catch each other during horse races, they dispersed, turning to the right. The national rule of left-hand traffic was formed in the 18th century. And finally the Japanese approved it at the legislative level in 1927.

An interesting fact is that at first America was a supporter of "leftism", but under the influence of the French general Marie-Joseph Lafayette in the 18th century, she preferred right-handed driving.

There are a number of countries that, over time and probably under the influence of neighboring powers in the 20th century, changed from left-hand driving to right-hand driving. These include, in particular, Sweden, Czechoslovakia, Korea, Nigeria, Ghana, Gambia, Sierra Leone.
The reverse transition - from the left steering wheel to the right one - was made only by 2 countries: Samoa and Mozambique. The first is because a substantial number of used cars intended for right-hand drive were brought into the state. The second - under the influence of neighboring powers.

Did you know? The Swedes have been preparing to switch to right-hand driving for 4 years. On September 3, 1967, at 4:50 a.m., traffic stopped, and from 5 a.m. all drivers moved to the other side of the freeway. In Swedish history, this date is called "Day "H"": from Swede.« hogertrafik» - « right-hand traffic» .

How the direction influenced the design of vehicles

At the dawn of the automotive industry, there was no clear placement of the steering wheel on the left or right - cars were produced with different placements. However, over time, the tradition of placing the steering wheel on the left became entrenched - it was more convenient to disembark taxi passengers when driving on the right and more comfortable to review when you go to overtake. In addition to the actual placement of the steering wheel and the driver's seat, there are other structural differences in cars that were influenced by this fact. So, the device of the wipers responsible for cleaning the windshield is different. In left-hand drive cars at rest, they are folded to the right side, in right-hand drive cars - to the left. The wiper switch on left-hand drive vehicles is located on the right side of the steering column.

As for the turn switches, today they are located in all cars in the same way (although until recently there were models where they were on the left).

It should be noted that manufacturers of modern cars for the mass buyer do not follow the lead of drivers accustomed to left-hand traffic, and to save costs, cars produce models with only one difference - the location of the driver's seat.
The rest of the parameters for left-hand drive and right-hand drive cars are usually the same (with the exception of certain brands).

Did you know? The manufacturer of sports cars McLaren in 1992-1998 produced a model called the McLaren F1, in which the steering wheel and driver's seat were located in the center of the cabin. In 1993-2005 it was the fastest car in the world.

List of countries with left-hand traffic, relevant for 2018

Below is an up-to-date list of states where only left-hand traffic is legally fixed.
Countries marked in green on the map - with right-hand traffic, yellow - with left-hand traffic

Europe

Among European states, there are only 4 ardent representatives with legalized left-hand driving:

• Great Britain;
• Malta;
• Ireland;
• Cyprus.

Asia

There are quite a few countries in Asia where people drive on the left side of the roads. These include:

• Bangladesh;
• Brunei;
• India;
• Indonesia
• Japan;
• Malaysia;
• Maldives;
• Nepal;
• Pakistan;
• Singapore;
• Thailand;
• Sri Lanka;
• East Timor.

Africa

On the African continent, as well as in Asia, there are 13 powers and island states that adhere to the "leftism" when traveling by car.
Among them are:

• Botswana;
• Kenya;
• Lesotho;
• Mauritius;
• Mozambique;
• Namibia;
• Seychelles;
• Republic of South Africa;
• Swaziland;
• Tanzania;
• Uganda;
• Zambia;
• Zimbabwe.

South America

On the South American continent, the vast majority of powers have rules that require keeping the right side when driving cars.
And only 2 countries prefer driving on the left side of the road:

• Suriname.

Important! If a person going on a trip plans to travel in other countries in his own car or rent a car, then he needs to first familiarize himself with the direction of movement in those areas that he is going to visit.

Oceania

Among the states and islands of Oceania, the left side when driving on freeways adhere to:

• Australia;
• Fiji;
• Republic of Kiribati;
• Republic of Nauru;
• New Zealand;
• Papua New Guinea;
• Samoa;
• Solomon islands;
• Kingdom of Tonga;
• Tuvalu.

In addition, driving on the left side of the road is carried out in the Bahamas, in the Lesser Antilles: in Antigua, Dominica, Barbados, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent, as well as in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, on Virgin Islands, Saint Lucia and Jamaica.
Thus, various historical reasons influenced which half of the road people move in one or another country of the world. Residents of 53 countries adhere to the left side of traffic on highways. Right-hand traffic is considered traditional. Accordingly, much more left-hand drive cars are produced. If a person plans to travel to another state by car, then he definitely needs to familiarize himself with the traffic rules in force on his territory. Switching to the "opposite" steering wheel is not easy - you also need to change road signs.

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It is not a secret for avid travelers that in many states the traffic vector on the roads differs from the way they are used to. Before traveling abroad, it is important to remember which countries drive on the left hand side, especially if you plan to rent a car.

Reasons for choosing a direction

There is practically no historical evidence of how our ancestors moved. Apparently, this topic seemed obvious, so the chroniclers and the townsfolk did not consider it important to make notes on this. Legislatively, the rules of conduct on transport routes of the state were first regulated only in the 18th century.

At the moment, 28% of the tracks in the world are oriented to the left, 34% of the world's population moves along them. The reasons why these territories have retained their traditional ways of regulating traffic are as follows:

• Historically they have been colonies or dependencies of Great Britain and Japan;
• Wagons were used as the main transport, on which the coachman sat on the roof.

The list of regions was actively changed after the United Kingdom lost its status of "an empire where the sun never sets" and the end of the Second World War. The last country to switch to a new orientation in 2009 was the Independent State of Samoa.

Complete list for 2018:

1. Australia and New Zealand, including external territories and states in free association (Cocos, Norfolk, Christmas, Tokelau, Cook, Niue);
2. Continental Southeast Africa (Kenya, Mozambique, Zambia, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Tonga, Tanzania, Uganda, South Africa, Swaziland, Lesotho, Botswana, Malawi);
3. Bangladesh;
4. Botswana;
5. Brunei;
6. Butane;
7. Great Britain;
8. Overseas Territories of the United Kingdom (Anguilla, Bermuda, Saint Helena and Ascension, Cayman, Montserrat, Maine, Pitcairn, Turks and Caicos, Falklands);
9. British and American Virgin Islands;
10. East Timor;
11. Guyana;
12. Hong Kong;
13. India;
14. Indonesia;
15. Ireland;
16. Independent countries of the Caribbean;
17. Cyprus;
18. Mauritius;
19. Macau;
20. Malaysia;
21. Maldives;
22. Malta;
23. Micronesia (Kiribati, Solomons, Tuvalu);
24. Nauru;
25. Nepal;
26. Channel Islands;
27. Pakistan;
28. Papua New Guinea;
29. Samoa;
30. Seychelles;
31. Singapore;
32. Suriname;
33. Thailand;
34. Fiji;
35. Sri Lanka;
36. Jamaica;
37. Japan.

Traditions of movement

Ways of driving on roads for ordinary people in ancient times depended purely for convenience because the population density was low. Peasants and artisans carried loads on their right shoulder and walked so as not to hurt each other, and warriors preferred the opposite side in order to be able to protect themselves from enemies, drawing a sword from a scabbard on their left hip.

With the advent of vehicles, the rules of driving have also changed. Carts with one horse and a driver on the front goats were more convenient to manage with the working hand, as a stronger one, and at the same time maintain maneuverability on the left.

This mode of transport was common in France, and during the reign of Napoleon, left-hand traffic spread to all regions of his conquests.

How has the direction influenced vehicle design?

Due to differences in behavior on the track, depending on the orientation, different countries use cars in which the steering wheel is on the side farthest from the curb. At the same time, the location of the control levers remains the same in all models.

However, for the convenience of specialized machines, this rule may be violated. For example, at the official transport of postal employees, the driver's seat was on the side closest to the sidewalk so that the postman delivers letters and parcels without leaving the car. So in the USSR, since 1968, the Moskvich 434P was produced with a right-hand drive.

Another important aspect related to the direction of traffic is crossing the border in states with opposite traffic rules. In such cases, there may be a simple shift on the track if the road is narrow, as between Laos and Thailand, or a large-scale labyrinth of tracks if it is a large-scale siding, such as between Macau and China.

Why does England drive on the left?

Since there is no written evidence of how roads were driven in antiquity, researchers are turning to archeological methods. At an old quarry near Swindon, in Wiltshire, traces of a Roman era street were found, the degree of subsidence of which indicated left-hand traffic.

Also, historians associate this direction of traffic in the UK with traditional carts, including a cab, on which a right-handed driver sat on the roof and, accordingly, held a whip in his strongest hand.

The first legislative act regulating the rules of movement in the city was a law in 1756, which obliged vehicles to drive on the left side of London Bridge, while violators were expected to be fined a whole silver pound. Later, in 1776, the "Road Act" was passed, extending the rule to all the streets of England.

Since it was the British who became the first railway power, many countries still have similar traffic in the subway and at railway stations with reverse rules for cars.

What kind of traffic in Russia is right-hand or left-hand?

For a long time, there were no rules in Russia that would tell people exactly how they should drive the carts so as not to collide with each other. In 1752, the first Russian Empress Elizabeth ordered the drivers move along the right side streets within cities.

And so it happened, throughout the Russian Federation it is accepted right-hand traffic . However, in large cities, you can find separate sections where the direction of the flow of cars changes, which, as a rule, is associated with the convenience of an interchange in a particular place.

Examples of such places are:

• Leskova Street in the Bibirevskiy district of Moscow;
• Embankment of the Fontanka River in St. Petersburg;
• Semyonovskaya and Mordotsveva streets in Vladivostok (August 2012 - March 2013).

It is interesting to see how political and economic reasons influenced which countries drive on the left and which drive on the right. One simple point, on which people cannot agree and come to a unified decision, creates differences in economic trends, sets major tasks for architects and administrations of cities and regions.

Video: on what part of the road do they move in different countries?

In this video, Oleg Govorunov will tell you why in different countries it is customary to move on different sides of the road:

Currently, in Russia and many other countries, right-hand traffic is accepted on the roads. There are also countries with left-hand traffic. In the modern world, these are Ireland, Great Britain, Japan, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and a number of African countries. Let's try to figure out why this is the situation.
Traditions of left-hand and right-hand traffic originated long before the invention of the automobile.

According to one version, right-hand traffic arose in Europe during the Middle Ages, when not cars, but riders on horseback drove along the narrow roads between settlements. All of them were armed. In the left hand, the riders held a shield to defend themselves in case of a sudden attack, and therefore they kept to the right side. There is another version of the appearance of right-hand traffic: when the horse-drawn carts were driving apart, it was easier to direct the carriage to the side of the road to the right, pulling the reins with the right hand, which is more developed in most people. Years have passed, vehicles have changed, but the tradition remains...

It is believed that left-hand traffic originated in England. This island state was connected with the outside world only by sea routes, shipping was actively developing. To streamline the movement of ships, the maritime department issued a decree according to which the ships were required to keep to the left side. Later, this rule was extended to highways, and also passed to all countries under the influence of Britain. Some still adhere to it. Another version connects the tradition of left-hand traffic with the fact that when horse-drawn carts moved through the streets, the coachman held a whip in his right hand and, driving horses, could hit pedestrians. Therefore, the carriages had to drive on the left side.

As for our country, in 1752 the Russian Empress Elizaveta Petrovna issued a decree on the introduction of right-hand traffic on the streets of Russian cities for carriages and cabbies.

At various times, left-hand traffic was adopted in many countries, but they switched to new rules. For example, due to the proximity to countries that were former French colonies that have right-hand traffic, the former British colonies in Africa changed the rules. North Korea and South Korea switched from driving on the left to driving on the right in 1946, after the end of the Japanese occupation.

One of the last countries to switch from left-hand traffic to right-hand traffic was Sweden. This happened in 1967. Preparations for the reform began as early as 1963, when the Swedish parliament formed the State Commission for the transition to right-hand traffic, which was supposed to develop and implement a set of measures to ensure such a transition. On September 3, 1967, at 4:50 am, all vehicles had to stop, change sides of the road, and continue at 5:00 am. For the first time after the transition, a special speed limit regime was established.

Tourists who come to a country with unusual traffic for them are advised, for safety reasons, not to drive a car on their own, but to resort to the services of a driver.

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Why is there left-hand traffic in England and which traffic is considered more “correct”?

In Russia, as in the vast majority of countries, right-hand traffic is accepted on the roads. However, there are countries on the streets of which the movement is organized "vice versa". In addition to the UK, left-hand traffic is used in Japan, Ireland, South Africa, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore and some other countries. Interestingly, Hong Kong is an autonomous region within China, and in China itself, traffic is on the right.

By themselves, the traditions of traffic on the left or right side of the road originated in the Middle Ages, when cars were not yet in the minds of the most brilliant futurists. There is a version according to which right-hand traffic in Europe arose in the Middle Ages: mostly riders on horseback traveled along the streets and narrow roads. Since most of them were armed, and in their left hands they held a shield for protection, it was more convenient for them to keep to the right side of the road. According to another version, right-hand traffic arose in Europe by itself: horse-drawn carriages drove off on the left sides, since it was easier for the coachman to direct the cart to the side of the road to the right - this required pulling the reins with the right hand, and people usually have it more developed. True, the opposite version is also connected with horse-drawn carts: the driver usually held a whip in his right hand and, waving it, driving horses, could accidentally hook pedestrians. Therefore, it was safer to stay on the left side of the road. Since those distant times, these traditions have come down to us.

There is another version of the development of events, according to which Napoleon legalized right-hand traffic in Europe - in spite of the "left-hand" British. And while in France itself the traffic was actually right-handed, Napoleon forced Austria and Hungary to move on the right side of the road. And in Russia by this time there was no clear procedure for oncoming traffic, and during the invasion of Napoleon, his rules were simply adopted by the Russians.

It is believed that the ancestor of the left-hand movement in Europe was England. Already in the Middle Ages, England was a powerful maritime power, both military and merchant shipping were actively developing. In order to streamline traffic at sea, the British Maritime Department issued a decree according to which the ships were to diverge on a collision course with their starboard sides. Later, this rule was transferred from sea to land and established itself in all countries dominated by the British Empire. With the loss of their colonies by England, many of them remained true to the traditions of left-hand traffic, while some countries in which the "English" version of the movement was adopted switched to new, more common rules. So did, for example, many African countries that neighbored the former French colonies.

And in North and South Korea, the movement "in English" was approved by the Japanese during the occupation, and in 1946, after the end of the occupation, they switched to right-hand traffic.

Much later than others, one of the last, Sweden switched from left-hand traffic to right-hand traffic. This was in 1967. Preparations for such a significant innovation, with an already rather large fleet of cars, began 4 years before. A special state commission was formed that developed and implemented a set of measures to ensure a safe crossing, and on September 3, 1967 at 4:50 am, all vehicles on the roads had to stop, and within 10 minutes change the side of the road and continue traffic. There were even special speed limits throughout the country.

In Russia, right-hand traffic was approved in 1752 by Empress Elizabeth, who issued a corresponding decree for cab drivers and carriages.

Tourists who are not accustomed to driving on the left, for safety reasons, are advised not to rent a car, but to hire local drivers. And in England, on many pedestrian crossings there are inscriptions “look to the right”, and in the middle of the road - “look to the left”, so that foreign pedestrians do not forget about this English feature and, God forbid, do not get hit by a car.