When did Sweden change driving sides?
1967
But as Dagen H finally dawned, the hard work all appeared to pay off. Swedes began cautiously driving on the right-hand side of roads around the country at precisely 5am on 3 September 1967, following a radio countdown.
Why did Sweden changed driving side?
Sweden initiated the driving change in part because its neighbors already drove on the right side of the road. Many members of the Swedish parliament also argued that the left-hand vehicles Swedes drove had caused too many head-on collisions.
What country changed the side of the road they drive on?
Sweden
Sweden isn’t the only country to switch sides, of course. As recently as 2009, Samoa made the left/right shift. The first officially established right-hand driving rule in the US was established in 1792, applying to the Philadelphia and Lancaster turnpike.
When did Norway switch to driving on the right?
10 May 1963
Nevertheless, the Swedish Parliament approved Prime Minister Tage Erlander’s proposal on 10 May 1963 of right hand traffic beginning in 1967, as the number of cars on the road tripled from 500,000 to 1.5 million and was expected to reach 2.8 million by 1975.
Why does Hong Kong drive on the left?
When the first automobile hit Hong Kong’s streets in 1903, it drove on the left side of the road, not only because Hong Kong was a British colony, but because that had been the accepted order of things for thousands of years.
Why did the British drive on the left?
Traffic congestion in 18th century London led to a law being passed to make all traffic on London Bridge keep to the left in order to reduce collisions. This rule was incorporated into the Highway Act of 1835 and was adopted throughout the British Empire. Today, only 35% of countries drive on the left.
When did Sweden start driving on the right side of the road?
Starting that morning, all cars in Sweden had to drive on the right side of the road. It was Dagen Högertrafik (“H Day”), “right-hand traffic diversion day.” Since the advent of the automobile though September 2, 1967, Swedish motorists had been driving on the left. This was mainly out of habit.
When did Sweden switch from left to right?
On Sunday, September 3, 1967, Sweden changed from driving on the left-hand side of the road to driving on the right. As you might imagine, this switch was anything but easy.
How did Sweden prepare for the road change?
In preparation for the change, Sweden’s road network had to be readied through a myriad of projects. Street and highway signs around the country were to be reversed or changed. Bus stops were moved across streets. In Sweden’s biggest cities, trams were removed from their tracks and replaced with buses that featured doors on their right-hand sides.
What are the rules for driving in Sweden?
Road conditions. In Sweden, every car should have their headlights on 24 hours a day. In rented cars, the headlights are often kept on automatically. If this rule is ignored, a penalty may be incurred. The regulations against alcohol consumption when driving are some of the strictest in Europe.
When did Sweden switch to the right side of the road?
On September 3, 2007, it will be 40 years to the day since Sweden switched from driving on the left side of the road to the right side. Here is a short story of how it came to happen.
When was right hand traffic introduced in Sweden?
Nevertheless, on May 10, 1963, the Riksdag approved the introduction of right hand traffic in 1967, as the number of cars on the road had tripled from 500 000 to 1.5 million, and was expected to reach 2.8 million by 1975.
Why are there no traffic rules in Sweden?
In general, Swedes are obsessed with safety, including environmental one. There are no roads in the country where a collision with a car going on the opposite lane could be (all roads have separation barriers). There are many electric vehicles.
When did Sweden switch from trams to buses?
On September 3, 1967, all traffic in Sweden switch from driving on the left-hand side of the road to the right. Trams in central Stockholm were withdrawn and replaced by buses and over one thousand new buses were purchased with doors on the right-hand side.