The subsequent Revolutionary wars and Napoleon’s European conquests led to the spread of driving on the right to Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, Belgium and the Netherlands. Napoleon ordered his armies to use the right-hand side of the road in order to avoid congestion during military manoeuvres.
Why did countries switch to driving on the right?
Traffic shifted to the right so drivers could easily avoid collisions. Eventually, with the rise of the automobile and increase in global traffic, many countries switched to the right to fit in with neighbors — including Samoa, which just switched from the left in 2009.
When did countries switch to driving on the right?
In the 1920s, the driver’s seat on the vast majority of cars was located on the side of oncoming traffic. Gradually the right-hand traffic was adopted in most countries: Belgium introduced it in 1899, Portugal in 1928, Spain in 1930, and Austria and Czechoslovakia in 1938. The kingdom of Sweden — not until 1967.
Why do some countries drive on the right and some on the left?
The reasons for this are not entirely certain, but some believe it arose as a matter of safety. The majority of people are right handed, one theory goes, so driving or riding on the left would have allowed them to wield a weapon with their dominant hand if they crossed paths with an enemy.
Why do other countries drive on the right side of the car?
One of the biggest influencers of driving direction was Henry Ford, who designed his Model T with the driver on the left. That decision meant cars would have to drive on the road’s right, so that passengers in both the front and back seat could exit the car onto the curb. Many countries eventually followed.
Why is Japan driving on the right?
Quite the contrary, it’s all for the convenience of the samurai and Japanese road usage logic. You see, at the time of the samurai, city streets and footpaths were quite narrow. In addition, most samurai were right-handed and wore their katana on the left.
Why is England the only country that drives 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.
Why did Europe start driving on the right?
The subsequent Revolutionary wars and Napoleon’s European conquests led to the spread of driving on the right to Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, Belgium and the Netherlands. Napoleon ordered his armies to use the right-hand side of the road in order to avoid congestion during military manoeuvres.
Did Germany ever drive on the left?
It was not until 1922 that left-hand-drive began to take hold in Germany, and even then the new configuration was a feature of just 10% of the country’s cars.
Why does America drive on the left?
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.
When did Europe change to driving on the right?
In 1924, Canada, Poland and Spain switched to the right-hand side, and in 1928 Brazil and Portugal did the same. Austria made the switch gradually between 1919 and 1938. Britain, Ireland, Malta and Cyprus are the only European countries still sticking to the left.
Why did France change to driving on the right?
As the story goes, the aristocracy in France used to drive on the left side, forcing the peasants over to the right, but after the French Revolution, aristocrats moved to the right to blend in.
Which country changed driving from left to right?
Sweden
It was a normal Sunday in September 1967 in Sweden, except that every driver on the road was about to have to change the way he or she did things. At 5 a.m., traffic switched from driving on the left-hand side of the road to the right.
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