Why does Britain 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.
Which countries drive on the right side of the road?
Where Do People Use Right-Hand Drive?
- Right-hand drive cars are available in the United States.
- Australia and New Zealand use right-hand drive cars.
- The island nations of the Bahamas, Barbados, Cayman and the Falkland.
- Fiji drivers use right-hand drive.
- India, Japan, Cyprus, South Africa, and Malta.
Which side of the road was driven on first?
Around two-thirds of the globe drives on the right side of the road. So how did those other countries wind up going the other way? Well, it turns out that driving on the left came first!
What side of the road does England drive on?
left side
Learn why the British drive on the left side of the road.
Is left or right driving better?
Neither side is intrinsically better or worse. Despite handedness, accident rates in countries that drive on the left or right are comparable. There is no ‘logical’ answer to this question that is separate from the facts of the matter.
How did Romans decide which side of the road to drive on?
In ancient Rome, Romans would drive their chariots with their more dominant hand (right) so the whip in their less dominant hand (usually the left hand) would not whip the other horses passing by. Throughout most of history, before the car, people travelled along the left side of the road.
Which is on the left or right side of the road?
Green coloured countries drive on the right, orange countries drive on the left. As you can see, most former British colonies, with some exceptions, drive on the left side of the road, whereas the United States of America, Latin American countries and European countries drive on the right.
Where did ancient Romans marched to the left or right?
Ancient Greek, Egyptian, and Roman troops kept to the left when marching. In 1998, archaeologists found a well-preserved double track leading to a Roman quarry near Swindon, in southern England. The grooves in the road were much deeper on the left side when facing away from the quarry than those on the right side.
Why did Henry Ford Drive on the left side of the road?
When cars were invented, Henry Ford was a big influence in American driving customs as he built his Model T with the driver on the left side of the car, meaning drivers would have to drive on the right side of the road so their passengers could exit the car on the curb and not into oncoming traffic.