Rules of the road

:This article concerns rules of the road regarding land vehicles; for sea-going vehicles, see International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea.

Changing sides

There are still many instances of traffic having to change sides at border crossings, such as at those between Afghanistan and Pakistan, Laos and Thailand, Sudan and Uganda.

Related Topics:
Afghanistan - Pakistan - Laos - Thailand - Sudan - Uganda

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Some countries have changed the side of the road on which their motorists drive in order to ease congestion at border crossings. For example, former British colonies in West Africa, such as Gambia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria and Ghana, have all changed from left- to right-hand traffic, as they all share borders with former French colonies, which drive on the right.

Related Topics:
Gambia - Sierra Leone - Nigeria - Ghana

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In the former British Crown colony of Hong Kong and the former Portuguese enclave of Macau, traffic continues to drive on the left, unlike in mainland China, despite the fact that they are now its Special Administrative Regions. However, Taiwan, formerly under Japanese rule, changed to driving on the right in 1946 after the government of the then Republic of China assumed administration; the same happened in Korea (both North and South), a former Japanese colony under US and Soviet occupation.

Related Topics:
British - Crown colony - Hong Kong - Portuguese - Macau - Mainland China - Special Administrative Region - Taiwan - Japan - 1946 - Republic of China - Korea

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Foreign occupation

However, many countries changed this rule of the road as a result of foreign occupation, notably during the Napoleonic Wars. More recently there are examples such as Austria, Czechoslovakia (details) and Hungary under German rule in the 1930s and '40s. The Channel Islands also changed to driving on the right under German occupation, but changed back after liberation in 1945, as did the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas in Spanish) under Argentine control during the 1982 Falklands War. East Timor changed to driving on the left under Indonesian rule in 1976, and continues the practice as an independent state.

Related Topics:
Occupation - Napoleonic Wars - Austria - Czechoslovakia - Details - Hungary - 1930s - '40 - Channel Islands - 1945 - Falkland Islands - Spanish - 1982 - Falklands War - East Timor - 1976

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Italy

In Italy the practice of traffic driving on the right first began in the late 1890s, but it was not until the mid 1920s that it became standard throughout the country. The practice was first introduced in cities under socialist control, such as Rome and Naples, with conservative-controlled cities like Milan and Turin continuing to have cars driving on the left side. Cars remained right-hand drive (RHD) until the mid 1920s, with Lancia not producing left-hand drive (LHD) cars until as late as the early 1960s.

Related Topics:
Italy - 1890 - Rome - Naples - Milan - Turin - 1920 - Lancia - 1960

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China (mainland)

Until 1946, driving in mainland China was mixed, with cars in the northern provinces driving on the right, and cars in the southern provinces such as Guangdong driving on the left, probably a result of their proximity to the British crown colony of Hong Kong and the Portuguese enclave of Macau.

Related Topics:
1946 - Mainland China - Guangdong - British - Crown colony - Hong Kong - Portuguese - Enclave - Macau

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After 1946, cars driving on the right became uniform in mainland China. However, during the Cultural Revolution, cars were made to drive on the left for political reasons. This did not last for long, and motorists have since reverted back to driving on the right.

Related Topics:
1946 - Cultural Revolution

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Canada

Until the 1920s, the rule of the road in Canada varied from province to province, with British Columbia, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island having cars driving on the left, and the other provinces and territories having motorists driving on the right. Between 1920 and 1923, these provinces' motorists were made to drive on the right. Newfoundland was not part of Canada until 1949, and its motorists drove on the left until 1947.

Related Topics:
Canada - British Columbia - New Brunswick - Nova Scotia - Prince Edward Island - 1920 - 1923 - Newfoundland - 1949 - 1947

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More information of Nova Scotia's experience of the changeover in 1923 can be found here.

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Sweden

Sweden had left-hand traffic (Vänstertrafik in Swedish) from approximately 1734, when they changed back from a short period of right-hand traffic starting in 1718. This well into the 20th century, despite the fact that virtually all the cars on the road in Sweden were actually LHD. One argument for this was that it was necessary to keep an eye on the edge of the road, something that was important on the narrow roads in use back then. Also, Sweden's neighbours, Norway, Finland and Denmark already had cars driving on the right side, leading to confusion at border crossings. In 1955 a referendum was held on the issue, resulting in an 82.9%-to-15.5% vote against a change to driving on the right.

Related Topics:
Sweden - Swedish - 1734 - 1718 - 20th century - Norway - Finland - Denmark - 1955 - Referendum

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Nevertheless, in 1963 the Swedish government passed legislation ordering the switch to right-hand traffic. The changeover took place at 5am on Sunday, September 3, 1967, which was known in Swedish as Dagen H (H-Day), the 'H' being for Högertrafik or right-hand traffic.

Related Topics:
1963 - Sunday - September 3 - 1967 - Dagen H

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Since Swedish cars were LHD, experts had suggested that changing to driving on the right would be safer, because drivers would have a better view of the road ahead. Indeed, fatal car-to-car and car-to-pedestrian accidents dropped sharply as a result. However, the accident rate rose back to its original position within two years.

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Iceland

Sweden's fellow Nordic country Iceland followed in switching traffic from left to right at 6am on Sunday, May 26, 1968. The only major casualty from the changeover was a boy on a bicycle who broke his leg (New York Times, May 28, 1968, p. 94). Numerous buses were also stuck in traffic jams.

Related Topics:
Nordic country - Iceland - Sunday - May 26 - 1968 - New York Times - May 28

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