It has been suggested that Side of the road (traffic) be merged into this article or section. (Discuss)

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

██ drive on right Image File history File links Please see the file description page for further information. ... The rule of the road refers to which side of the road traffic drives on. ... The International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea 1972 are published by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), and set out the rules of the road to be followed by ships and other vessels at sea. ... Download high resolution version (1357x628, 19 KB) File links The following pages link to this file: Rules of the road Categories: GFDL images ... Download high resolution version (1357x628, 19 KB) File links The following pages link to this file: Rules of the road Categories: GFDL images ...

██ drive on left

Rules of the road are the general practices and procedures that road users follow, especially motorists and cyclists. They govern interactions with other vehicles and pedestrians. The basic traffic rules are defined by an international treaty under the authority of the United Nations, the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic. Not all countries are signatory to the convention and, even among signatories, local variations in practice may be found. Driving safely is usually easier if a driver can adapt to both written and unwritten local rules of the road. A typical rural county road in Indiana, USA, where traffic drives on the right. ... Car redirects here. ... This racing bicycle is built using lightweight, shaped aluminium tubing and carbon fiber stays and forks. ... A pedestrian at the intersection of Alinga Street and Northbourne Avenue, Canberra, Australia Look up Pedestrian on Wiktionary, the free dictionary A pedestrian is a person travelling on foot, whether walking or running. ... The United Nations (UN) is an international organization that describes itself as a global association of governments facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, and social equity. ... The Vienna Convention on Road Traffic is an international treaty designed to facilitate international road traffic and to increase road safety by standardising the uniform traffic rules among the contracting parties. ... A typical rural county road in Indiana, USA, where traffic drives on the right. ...

These rules should be distinguished from the mechanical procedures required to operate one's vehicle. See driving. Driving is the controlled operation of a vehicle, which is usually a motor vehicle such as a truck, bus, motorcycle, or car. ...

Left or right

See also: Road A typical rural county road in Indiana, USA, where traffic drives on the right. ...

The first rule to learn for a particular country is which side to drive on. This is so fundamental that it is sometimes known simply as the rule of the road.

If traffic goes on the right hand side of the road:

• Oncoming traffic is seen coming from the left;
• The driving seat is mostly on the left side of the vehicle, hence the designation left hand drive (LHD);
• Most traffic signs facing motorists are on the right side of the road;
• roundabouts (traffic circles or rotaries) go anticlockwise (counter-clockwise);
• pedestrians crossing a two-way road should watch out for traffic from the left first.

If traffic goes on the left hand side of the road: Vehicles are non-living means of transportation. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... A roundabout, rotary, or gyratory circus is a type of road junction (or traffic calming device) at which traffic streams circularly around a central island after first yielding to the circulating traffic. ... A pedestrian at the intersection of Alinga Street and Northbourne Avenue, Canberra, Australia Look up Pedestrian on Wiktionary, the free dictionary A pedestrian is a person travelling on foot, whether walking or running. ...

• Oncoming traffic when driving on the left is seen on the majority preferred right side..
• The driving seat is mostly on the right side of the vehicle, hence the designation right hand drive (RHD);
• Most traffic signs facing motorists are on the left side of the road;
• roundabouts (traffic circles or rotaries) go clockwise;
• pedestrians crossing a two-way road should watch out for traffic from the right first.
• [riders on horse or bicycle] mount (from the roadside footpath) their horse or bicycle with the horse or bicycle facing in the direction of the traffic-stream they intend to join.

Mounting-blocks &c. are thus conveniently close to (or even part of) the buildings or roadside for mounting AND dismounting. For traffic-streams on the right of the road the mounting-blocks would have to be in the middle of the road, or the horses would have to face ONCOMING traffic (NOT a good idea!)when being mounted. In the British Isles of the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries the number of regularly-ridden horses per head of human population was the world's greatest and their towns were the world's most constantly congested with traffic. It was horsemanship that dictated the "keep left" rule. Reject and forget all references to "sword-arms". Nobody out of uniform seriously wore a sword in town during the day, except as a particular badge of authority and except during the brief period when young fops swaggered about wearing a hanger as a fashion accessory. Vehicles are non-living means of transportation. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... A roundabout, rotary, or gyratory circus is a type of road junction (or traffic calming device) at which traffic streams circularly around a central island after first yielding to the circulating traffic. ... A pedestrian at the intersection of Alinga Street and Northbourne Avenue, Canberra, Australia Look up Pedestrian on Wiktionary, the free dictionary A pedestrian is a person travelling on foot, whether walking or running. ...

In most early motor vehicles the driving seat was in the middle. Later some carmakers chose to have it nearest the centre of the road to help drivers look out for oncoming traffic, whilst others chose to put the seat on the other side so that the drivers could avoid damaging their vehicles on walls, hedges, roadside gutters and other obstacles. Eventually the former idea prevailed.

Myths

The M1 in Johannesburg, South Africa during rush hour as it passes through the suburb of Sandton. Like most former British colonies in Africa, South Africa drives on the left.

A sign on Australia's Great Ocean Road reminding foreign motorists to keep left

Approximately one quarter to one third of the world's traffic goes on the left-hand side of the road. Some claim that this practice arose from the prevalence of right-handedness, although such prevalence occurs in virtually all populations, regardless of which side of the road is used. In any case, the need to be ready for self-defence on rural roads inclined most horse-riders to keep to their left when encountering oncoming wayfarers, so as to be able to deploy a sword or other hand-weapon more swiftly and effectively should the need arise. Also, those on foot and in charge of horse-drawn vehicles would more usually hold the animals' heads with their right hand, and thus walk along the left hand side of the road. Image File history File links File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... The M1 during rush hour as it passes through Sandton. ... City motto: Unity in Development Province Gauteng Mayor Amos Masondo Area  - % water 1,644 km² 0. ... Rush hour at Tokyo Station, Yamanote Line A rush hour is a part of the day with busy traffic and hence traffic congestion on the roads and crowded public transport; normally the two periods in a day when people are travelling to or from work or school. ... A map of Johannesburg indicating regions and freeways. ... Sandton is a town in the northern part of the Greater Johannesburg Metropolitan Area, South Africa in the Gauteng Province. ... A satellite composite image of Africa Africa is the worlds second-largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. ... Image File history File links Drive_on_left_in_australia_sign. ... Image File history File links Drive_on_left_in_australia_sign. ... Great Ocean Road Main Gate at Eastern View The Great Ocean Road stretches along the South Eastern coast of Australia between the Victorian cities of Geelong and Warrnambool. ... A person who is right-handed is more dextrous with their right hand than with their left hand: they will write with their right hand, and probably also use this hand for tasks such as personal care, cooking, and so on. ... Self-defense usually refers to the use of violence to protect oneself and is a possible justification for this otherwise illegal act. ... Swiss longsword, 15th or 16th century Sword (Old English: sweord; akin to Old High German: swert, wounding tool; Proto-Indo-European: *swer-, to wound, to hurt) is a term for a long-edged, bladed weapon, consisting in its most fundamental design of a blade, usually with two edges for striking...

The first legal reference in Britain to an order for traffic to remain on the left occurred in 1756 with regard to London Bridge. The General Highways Act of 1773, contained a recommendation that horse traffic should remain on the left and this was enshrined in the Highways Bill in 1835. At one point the rule was enshrined in a piece of doggerel: This article is a text about the Bridge in London. ...

The rule of the road is a paradox quite,

For if you keep to the left, you're sure to be right.

The British author C. Northcote Parkinson has presented what he calls "proof" that the British way of driving (on the left side of the road) is the natural one. However, this is only an opinion, since there is no "right" or "wrong" way to drive. Cyril Northcote Parkinson (July 30, 1909 - March 9, 1993) was a British historian and author of some sixty books. ...

Some ex-colonies of the British Empire continue to drive on the left, but others, such as Canada, Gambia, Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and the United States switched to the other side. In politics and in history, a colony is a territory under the immediate political control of a geographically-distant state. ...

Apart from former British colonies, most countries' traffic moves on the right side, but Japan, Indonesia, Macau, Mozambique, Thailand and the U.S. Virgin Islands are exceptions to this rule.

Advantages of one side over the other

The advantages of driving on the right typically concern conformity and uniformity rather than practical or natural benefits. There are historical exceptions such as postilion riders in France, but such historical advantages do not apply to modern road vehicles. The advantages of driving on the left, both historically and now, are mainly practical or natural benefits, although many countries decided, particularly during the twentieth century, that the man-made conformity advantages of driving on the right outweighed any natural advantages of driving on the left. In France, the norm was for horse-drawn carts to be controlled by a rider mounted on one of the drawing horses rather than being controlled from the cart. ...

Advantages of driving on the right

• For bicycle and motorcycle riders, most arm signals are done with the left arm, allowing the right arm to steer the bike, which is easier and safer for the majority of people who are right-handed. This is especially important since handlebars have a steering ratio of 1°:1°, unlike a car, which is often closer to 10°:1° (10 degrees turning on the steering wheel results in a 1 degree turn of the wheels).
• Traffic on roundabouts and other giratory systems flows in a counter-clockwise direction, which is more natural to most people, who draw circles counter-clockwise.
• Approximately two-thirds of the world's population, and more of the driving population, lives in countries that drive on the right. With a trend towards world uniformity, it is safer and more practical for a country to drive on the same side of the road as its neighbours. This is the most common reason for countries to switch to driving on the right.
• Left hand drive cars tend to be cheaper, as they are usually produced in higher volumes than right hand drive equivalents, while many cars, usually US models, may not be produced in right hand drive at all. It is rare that models are produced in right hand drive only, except in Japan and Australia. However in Europe, this difference in price only occurs because of artificially inflated prices for the equivalent right hand drive models in the UK. Such price differentials are often outlawed by government regulations, for example by the European Commission.

Steering ratio refers to the ratio betweeen the turn of the steering wheel or handlebars and the turn of the wheels. ... United States may refer to: Places: United States of America SS United States, the fastest ocean liner ever built. ... World map showing Europe Europe is conventionally considered one of the seven continents which, in this case, is more a cultural and political distinction than a physiogeographic one. ... In the context of government and public services regulation (as a process) is the control of something by rules, as opposed to its prohibition. ... The European Commission (formally the Commission of the European Communities) is the executive body of the European Union. ...

Advantages of driving on the left

• With a right hand drive car, given that most people are right-handed, one's less co-ordinated hand is used for changing gear and operating dashboard controls, leaving one's more co-ordinated hand free to steer. The 10:1 car steering ratio makes it more important to use the right hand.

• It is more common to be right eyed. Traffic flows in a clockwise direction when driving on the left which enables right eyed people to use the right eye to see oncoming traffic. When overtaking on a right hand driving road the right eyed/handed driver looks in the mirror with the left eye and also views the oncoming traffic with the left eye which is not suited to the majority right eyed people.

• When reversing and looking over one's shoulder, one can always keep one's more co-ordinated hand on the steering wheel in a right hand drive car.

• Research in 1969 by J J Leeming showed that countries that drove on the left had a lower accident rate than countries that drove on the right. Some countries that have switched to driving on the right (for example Sweden) saw their long term accident rates increase by more than any increase in traffic volumes. It has been suggested, but not proven, that this is partly because most people are "right eyed", and are therefore better able to judge the position of oncoming traffic when they see it on their right.

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. Thailand is particularly notable in the context of border crossings, as it is the only sizeable country that has nearly all of its borders with countries that drive on the opposite side. It drives on the left, but 90% (4357km or 2707 miles) of its borders are with countries that drive on the right, with only Malaysia driving on the left.

Change of traffic directions at the Laos-Thai border

Some countries have changed the side of the road on which their motorists drive in order to increase the safety of cross-border traffic. For example, former British colonies in 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. The former Portuguese colony of Mozambique has always driven on the left, as all its neighbours are former British colonies. Download high resolution version (1280x960, 550 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (1280x960, 550 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... A satellite composite image of Africa Africa is the worlds second-largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. ...

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 Republic of China assumed administration; the same happened in Korea (both North and South), a former Japanese colony under US and Soviet occupation. A United Kingdom overseas territory (formerly known as a dependent territory or earlier as a crown colony) is a territory that is under the sovereignty and formal control of the United Kingdom but is not part of the United Kingdom proper (Great Britain and Northern Ireland). ...  drive on right  drive on left Rules of the road are the general practices and procedures that road users follow, especially motorists and cyclists. ... A Special Administrative Region (SAR) (Simplified Chinese: 特别行政区; Traditional Chinese: 特別行政區; pinyin: tèbié xíngzhèngqÅ«; Cantonese IPA: /tɐk6piːt6 hɐŋ4tsɪŋ3kʰɵy1/; Jyutping: dak6bit6 hang4zing3keoi1; Yale: dahkbiht hàhngjingkeÅ«i) is a political subdivision of the Peoples Republic of China. ... National motto: None Official language Mandarin Chinese Capital and largest city Taipei President Chen Shui-bian Vice President Annette Lu Premier Su Tseng-chang Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 138th 35,980 km² 2. ... ‹ The template below has been proposed for deletion. ...

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. The Falkland Islands did the same under Argentine control during the 1982 Falklands War, (although the Argentine government officially ordered the islanders to drive on the right, they often drove on the left to assert their defiance to occupation). East Timor changed to driving on the left under Indonesian rule in 1976, and continues the practice as an independent state. Occupation may refer to: the principal activity (job or calling) that earns money for a person (see List of occupations, employment, profession, business) the periods of time following a nations territory invasion by controlling enemy troops (see Military occupation) the act of settling onto an uninhabited tract of land... Combatants Allies: • United Kingdom, • Prussia, • Austria, • Russia France Commanders Strength Casualties Full list Full list The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars fought during Napoleon Bonapartes rule over France. ... The switch to right hand traffic in Czechoslovakia describes changes in the rules of the road in 1938/1939. ... // Events and trends World War II was a truly global conflict with many facets: immense human suffering, fierce indoctrination, and the use of new, extremely devastating weapons such as the atomic bomb. ... The Channel Islands are a group of islands off the coast of Normandy, France, in the English Channel. ... The Falklands War (Spanish: Guerra de las Malvinas), was a war between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the Falkland Islands (also known in Spanish as the Islas Malvinas) and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, between March and June of 1982. ...

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. There was a long period when traffic in the countryside drove on the right while major cities continued to drive on the left. Rome, for example, did not change from left to right until 20 October 1924. Cars had remained right-hand drive (RHD) until this time. Lancia did not produce LHD cars until as late as the early 1960s, and stopped making RHD cars altogether in 1994. Lancia is expected to start manufacturing RHD cars again in 2008. October 20 is the 293rd day of the year (294th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 72 days remaining. ... 1924 (MCMXXIV) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Lancia is an Italian automobile manufacturer founded in 1906 by Vincenzo Lancia, part of the Fiat group since 1969. ... Lancia is an Italian automobile manufacturer founded in 1906 by Vincenzo Lancia, part of the Fiat group since 1969. ...

China (mainland)

Main article: Rules of the road in the People's Republic of China

Until 1946, driving in mainland China was mixed, with cars in the northern provinces driving on the right (probably to concur with Russian practice, which was "keep right" from 1920), 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. Traffic law in mainland China is still in its nascent stage (see Road Traffic Safety Law of the Peoples Republic of China). ... In this map of China, the light-coloured areas represent Mainland China, while yellow coloured area refers to Taiwan. ... Guangdong (Simplified Chinese: 广东; Traditional Chinese: 廣東; Hanyu Pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Kuang-tung; Postal System Pinyin: Kwangtung or Canton Province, Jyutping: gwong2 dung1), is a province on the south coast of the Peoples Republic of China. ... A United Kingdom overseas territory (formerly known as a dependent territory or earlier as a crown colony) is a territory that is under the sovereignty and formal control of the United Kingdom but is not part of the United Kingdom proper (Great Britain and Northern Ireland). ... C is As enclave and Bs exclave. ...

After 1946, China followed the United States, by changing to driving on the right, due to political reasons that the United States helped China to fight against Japanese occupation during World War II and American cars (mostly LHD) were already popular in China. However, during the Cultural Revolution, cars were made to drive on the left for political reasons (Communism is leftist). This did not last for long, and motorists have since reverted back to driving on the right. Combatants Allies: • Soviet Union, • UK & Commonwealth, • USA, • France/Free France, • China, • Poland, • ...and others Axis: • Germany, • Japan, • Italy, • ...and others Commanders Strength Casualties Full list Full list World War II, also known as the Second World War, was a large scale military conflict that took place between 1939 and 1945. ... A poster during the Cultural Revolution. ... This article is about communism as a form of society and as a political movement. ... In politics, left-wing, political left, leftism, or simply the left, are terms which refer (with no particular precision) to the segment of the political spectrum typically associated with any of several strains of socialism, social democracy, or liberalism (especially in the American sense of the word), or with opposition...

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. Starting with the interior of British Columbia on 15 July 1920 and ending with Prince Edward Island on 1 May 1924, these provinces changed to driving on the right. Newfoundland was not part of Canada until 1949, and its motorists drove on the left until 2 January 1947. More information of Nova Scotia's experience of the changeover in 1923 can be found here. Motto: Splendor Sine Occasu (Latin: Splendour without diminishment) Official languages English Capital Victoria Largest city Vancouver Lieutenant-Governor Iona Campagnolo Premier Gordon Campbell (BC Liberal) Parliamentary representation  - House seat  - Senate seats 36 6 Area Total  â€¢ Land  â€¢ Water    (% of total)  Ranked 5th 944,735 km² 925,186 km² 19,549 km... Motto: Spem reduxit (Hope restored) Official languages English, French Capital Fredericton Largest city Saint John Lieutenant-Governor Herménégilde Chiasson Premier Bernard Lord (PC) Parliamentary representation  - House seat  - Senate seats 10 10 Area Total  â€¢ Land  â€¢ Water    (% of total)  Ranked 11th 72 908 km² 71 450 km² 1 458 km... Motto: Munit Haec et Altera Vincit (Latin: One defends and the other conquers) Official languages English Capital Halifax Largest city Halifax Lieutenant-Governor Myra Freeman Premier John Hamm Premier-designate Rodney MacDonald (PC) Parliamentary representation  - House seat  - Senate seats 11 10 Area Total  â€¢ Land  â€¢ Water    (% of total)  Ranked 12th 55... Motto: Parva Sub Ingenti (Latin: The small under the protection of the great) Official languages English Capital Charlottetown Largest city Charlottetown Lieutenant-Governor J. Léonce Bernard Premier Pat Binns (PC) Parliamentary representation  - House seat  - Senate seats 4 4 Area Total  â€¢ Land  â€¢ Water    (% of total)  Ranked 13th 5,660 km... Motto: Splendor Sine Occasu (Latin: Splendour without diminishment) Official languages English Capital Victoria Largest city Vancouver Lieutenant-Governor Iona Campagnolo Premier Gordon Campbell (BC Liberal) Parliamentary representation  - House seat  - Senate seats 36 6 Area Total  â€¢ Land  â€¢ Water    (% of total)  Ranked 5th 944,735 km² 925,186 km² 19,549 km... July 15 is the 196th day (197th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 169 days remaining. ... 1920 (MCMXX) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar) // Events January January 7 - Forces of Russian White admiral Kolchak surrender in Krasnoyarsk. ... Motto: Parva Sub Ingenti (Latin: The small under the protection of the great) Official languages English Capital Charlottetown Largest city Charlottetown Lieutenant-Governor J. Léonce Bernard Premier Pat Binns (PC) Parliamentary representation  - House seat  - Senate seats 4 4 Area Total  â€¢ Land  â€¢ Water    (% of total)  Ranked 13th 5,660 km... May 1 is the 121st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (122nd in leap years). ... 1924 (MCMXXIV) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Map of Newfoundland Newfoundland (French: Terre-Neuve; Irish: Talamh an Éisc; Latin: Terra Nova) is a large island off the northeast coast of North America, and the most populous part of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. ... January 2 is the second day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1947 (MCMXLVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Motto: Munit Haec et Altera Vincit (Latin: One defends and the other conquers) Official languages English Capital Halifax Largest city Halifax Lieutenant-Governor Myra Freeman Premier John Hamm Premier-designate Rodney MacDonald (PC) Parliamentary representation  - House seat  - Senate seats 11 10 Area Total  â€¢ Land  â€¢ Water    (% of total)  Ranked 12th 55...

Sweden

Stockholm on Dagen H

Sweden had left-hand traffic (Vänstertrafik in Swedish) from approximately 1734, when it changed back from a short period of right-hand traffic starting in 1718. Finland, under Swedish rule until 1809, also drove on the left, and continued to do so as a Russian Grand Duchy until 1858. [1] Kungsgatan in Stockholm, Sweden: Changeover to Right Hand Traffic 1967. ... 1809 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... The Grand Duchy of Finland was a state that existed 1809–1917 as part of the Russian Empire. ... 1858 (MDCCCLVIII) is a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Sunday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ...

This continued 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 at the time.) Also, Sweden's neighbours, Norway, Denmark and Finland already drove on the right, 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. Nevertheless, in 1963 the Swedish parliament 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. Since the introduction of parliamentarism in Sweden six referendums have been held. ... The Riksdag or Sveriges Riksdag is the Parliament of Sweden. ... September 3 is the 246th day of the year (247th in leap years). ... 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Dagen H logo Dagen H (H day) was the day, 3 September 1967, on which traffic in Sweden switched from driving on the left-hand side of the road to the right. ...

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.

Iceland

Sweden's fellow Nordic country Iceland followed in switching traffic from left to right at 6am on Sunday, May 26, 1968. The only 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. The Nordic countries (Greenland not shown) The Nordic countries, also referred to as Norden (The North), and less stringently as Scandinavia, is a term used collectively for five countries in Northern Europe. ... May 26 is the 146th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (140th in leap years). ... 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1968 calendar). ... The New York Times is an internationally known daily newspaper published in New York City and distributed in the United States and many other nations worldwide. ... May 28 is the 148th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (149th in leap years). ... 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1968 calendar). ...

Okinawa

After the defeat of Japan during World War II, Okinawa was occupied by the United States and made to drive on the right side. Okinawa changed back to driving on the left when it was returned to Japan. The change took place at 06:00 on 30 July 1978. It is one of very few places to have changed from right to left side driving in the late twentieth century. Combatants Allies: • Soviet Union, • UK & Commonwealth, • USA, • France/Free France, • China, • Poland, • ...and others Axis: • Germany, • Japan, • Italy, • ...and others Commanders Strength Casualties Full list Full list World War II, also known as the Second World War, was a large scale military conflict that took place between 1939 and 1945. ... This article is about the prefecture. ... July 30 is the 211th day (212th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 154 days remaining. ... 1978 (MCMLXXVIII in Roman) was a common year starting on Sunday (the link is to a full 1978 calendar). ...

United States

Since colonial times, traffic in the United States has always been on the right hand side, which was greatly influenced by France, a "founder" of drive-on-the-right rule, which indirectly supported American Independence from British colonial rule. There is a common story that this may be due to the construction of Conestoga wagons, which had a high driver's seat on the left side. However, the Conestoga wagon does not date all the way back to the colonial period so this story is likely apocryphal. Many imported RHD cars are also found on the road in the U.S., especially classic cars or other collector's items. The American Revolution is the series of events, ideas, and changes that resulted in the political separation of thirteen colonies in North America from the British Empire and the creation of the United States of America. ... In politics and in history, a colony is a territory under the immediate political control of a geographically-distant state. ... The Conestoga Wagon is a heavy, broad-wheeled covered freight carrier used extensively during the United States Westward Expansion in the late 1700s and 1800s. ... Ford Model A Fordor 1948 Buick Eight convertible 1955 Chevrolet Nomad 1935 Plymouth PJ Touring Sedan 1948 Pontiac Streamliner Sedan Coupe 1959 Chevrolet Impala Classic car is a term frequently used to describe an older car, but what exactly is meant by that varies from person to person and organisation...

Today, U.S. motor vehicles are always LHD (except some postal service vehicles, garbage trucks and uncommon specialty vehicles), and motorists always drive on the right and overtake on the left, except in the US Virgin Islands.

American rules of the road sometimes permit overtaking on the right side (multi-lane highways, one-way streets, or when overtaking other vehicles preparing to turn left). The laws vary from state to state. The word lane has two meanings: A narrow road, usually lacking a shoulder or a median. ... Highway in Pennsylvania, USA For other uses, see Highway (disambiguation). ...

See Overtaking and Lanes for more information.

Anomalies

Caribbean

In many Caribbean islands where traffic drives on the left, such as the British Virgin Islands, US Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos Islands, most passenger cars are LHD, being imported from the United States. Only government cars and those imported from Asia are RHD. The US Virgin Islands are particularly known for having a high accident rate caused by American tourists from the mainland who are unfamiliar with driving on the left in their rental cars - the confusion from which is obviously compounded by using a LHD vehicle. Central America and the Caribbean (detailed pdf map) The Caribbean, (Spanish: Caribe; French: Caraïbe or more commonly Antilles; Dutch: Cariben or Caraïben, or more commonly Antillen) or the West Indies, is a group of islands and countries which are in or border the Caribbean Sea which lies on...

Hong Kong and Macau

Being a former British colony, Hong Kong follows the United Kingdom in driving on the left. Macau, a former Portuguese exclave, follows Hong Kong in driving on the left because most of the RHD cars in Macau are imported through Hong Kong. It is such a separate entity that Macau did not follow either Mainland China in 1946 or Portugal in 1928 in switching to driving on the right. In politics and in history, a colony is a territory under the immediate political control of a geographically-distant state. ... D is Bs exclave, but is not an enclave. ... In this map of China, the light-coloured areas represent Mainland China, while yellow coloured area refers to Taiwan. ...

Under the auspices of the one country, two systems arrangement, traffic continues to move on the left in Hong Kong and Macau, now Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China, unlike in the mainland. Most vehicles are RHD and even suppliers for the People's Liberation Army have specially made RHD version vehicles for the garrison to drive in Hong Kong and Macau. LHD exceptions include some buses providing services to and from the mainland. Vehicles registered in Hong Kong and Macau are required to have a special number plate issued by the authorities in Guangdong province to drive legally on the mainland. One country, two systems (Simplified Chinese: 一国两制; Traditional Chinese: 一國兩制; pinyin: yì; guó liǎng zhì; Jyutping: jat1 gwok3 loeng5 zai3; Yale: yāt gwok leúhng jai), is an idea originally proposed by Deng Xiaoping, then Paramount Leader of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC), for the unification of China. ... A Special Administrative Region (SAR) (Simplified Chinese: 特别行政区; Traditional Chinese: 特別行政區; pinyin: tèbié xíngzhèngqū; Cantonese IPA: /tɐk6piːt6 hɐŋ4tsɪŋ3kʰɵy1/; Jyutping: dak6bit6 hang4zing3keoi1; Yale: dahkbiht hàhngjingkeūi) is a political subdivision of the Peoples Republic of China. ... In this map of China, the light-coloured areas represent Mainland China, while yellow coloured area refers to Taiwan. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Guangdong (Simplified Chinese: 广东; Traditional Chinese: 廣東; Hanyu Pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Kuang-tung; Postal System Pinyin: Kwangtung or Canton Province, Jyutping: gwong2 dung1), is a province on the south coast of the Peoples Republic of China. ...

There are three road border crossing points between mainland China and Hong Kong. The largest and busiest is Lok Ma Chau (view it on Google Maps), which features two separate changeover systems on the mainland side. The next largest is Man Kam To, where there is no changeover system and the border roads on the mainland side simply intersect as one-way streets with a main road. There are two border crossing points between mainland China and Macau. The newer crossing point is the Lotus Bridge, which crosses a narrow channel of sea between the mainland and Macau, and was opened at the end of 1999 (see photo on Google Maps). The Lotus Bridge was designed to cater for high traffic volumes and features three lanes in each direction as well as a full changeover system on the mainland side, comprising bridges that loop around each other by 360° to swap the direction of the traffic. At the older Macau crossing point, there is no changeover system and the border roads continue with traffic on the left on the mainland side, and simply intersect on to a roundabout. All of these Chinese changeover systems can be viewed in high resolution using Google Earth. In this map of China, the light-coloured areas represent Mainland China, while yellow coloured area refers to Taiwan. ... Lok Ma Chau or Lokmachau (落馬洲) is a place at the border of Hong Kong and Shenzhen in the northwest New Territories of Hong Kong. ... In this map of China, the light-coloured areas represent Mainland China, while yellow coloured area refers to Taiwan. ... Man Kam To or Mankamto (文錦渡) is a place in the border of Hong Kong and Shenzhen in the north New Territories of Hong Kong. ... In this map of China, the light-coloured areas represent Mainland China, while yellow coloured area refers to Taiwan. ... In this map of China, the light-coloured areas represent Mainland China, while yellow coloured area refers to Taiwan. ... In this map of China, the light-coloured areas represent Mainland China, while yellow coloured area refers to Taiwan. ... In this map of China, the light-coloured areas represent Mainland China, while yellow coloured area refers to Taiwan. ... In this map of China, the light-coloured areas represent Mainland China, while yellow coloured area refers to Taiwan. ... Google Earth is a free virtual globe formerly known as Earth Viewer. ...

Japan

In Japan, foreign brands of car sold locally have traditionally been LHD, which is regarded as exotic or a status symbol. This even applies to British brands (although cars for the British market have the steering wheel on the right), in part because many have been imported via the US. However, some US manufacturers have made RHD models for the Japanese market, though with limited success; and as continental European brands become more popular, the preference is increasingly for RHD models.

Myanmar (Burma)

As a former British colony, cars in Myanmar (formerly Burma) drove on the left side until 1970, when the military administration of Ne Win decreed that traffic would drive on the right side of the road. It is alleged that this was because Ne Win had been advised by his soothsayer, who had said "move to the right", although this was in fact a reference to economic policy. In spite of the change, most passenger cars in the country today are RHD, being second-hand vehicles imported from Japan, Thailand, and Singapore. However, government limousines, imported from China, are LHD. Virtually all vehicles are driven with a passenger in place to watch the oncoming traffic and inform the driver as to whether it is safe to overtake or not, as the driver cannot see this from his RHD position. Bo Ne Win (May 24, 1911 or July 10, 1910 – December 5, 2002), born Shu Maung was a Burmese military commander and strong man of Burma from 1962 until 1988. ...

Gibraltar

Although the British territory of Gibraltar changed to driving on the right in 1929, in order to avoid accidents involving vehicles from Spain, some public buses until recently were RHD, with a special door allowing passengers to enter on the right hand side. However, most passenger cars are LHD, as in Spain, with the exception of second-hand cars brought in from the UK and Japan and some vehicles used by the British forces.

Guyana and Suriname

Guyana and Suriname are the only two remaining countries in the mainland Americas that still drive on the left. As a result of the construction of the Pan-American Highway, four mainland American countries switched to driving on the right between 1943 and 1961, the last of which being Belize. Both Guyana and Suriname are separated from their neighbours by large rivers, over which no road bridges have yet been built. The inland south of both countries is sparsely populated with very few roads and hence no border crossings. However, in the south west of Guyana near Lethem, work is underway to build the Takutu Bridge across the Takutu river into neighbouring Brazil, which drives on the right. Unlike road bridges between other countries that drive on opposite sides of the road, the changeover system will unusually be in the country that drives on the left, i.e. Guyana, where one lane will pass under the other on the bridge's access road. Despite stalling construction in recent years, Brazil is keen to open the bridge, as it will give Brazil access to Caribbean sea ports on the north coast of South America. Brazil intends to limit Guyana registered (RHD) vehicles to no further than the Brazilian border town of Bonfim, but it is expected that Brazilian (LHD) vehicles will be able to drive all the way through Guyana to the coast. Once opened, the Takutu Bridge will be the Americas' only border crossing where traffic changes sides of the road. World map showing the Americas The Americas commonly refers to the landmass in the Western Hemisphere consisting of the continents of North America, Central America and South America with their associated islands and regions. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Lethem is a town in Guyana located in the Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo region. ... Central America and the Caribbean (detailed pdf map) The Caribbean, (Spanish: Caribe; French: Caraïbe or more commonly Antilles; Dutch: Cariben or Caraïben, or more commonly Antillen) or the West Indies, is a group of islands and countries which are in or border the Caribbean Sea which lies on... World map showing the Americas The Americas commonly refers to the landmass in the Western Hemisphere consisting of the continents of North America, Central America and South America with their associated islands and regions. ...

Russian Federation

Although Russia drives on the right, cheaper grey import cars from Japan are more popular than LHD cars of the same class. Russia is estimated to have more than 1.5 million RHD vehicles on its roads. In the far eastern regions, such as Vladivostok or Khabarovsk, RHD vehicles make up to 90% of the total. This includes not only private cars, but also police cars, ambulances, and many other municipal and governmental vehicles as well. The term grey import refers to an item that has been imported into a country, legally, but without the agreement of the manufacturer. ... Vladivostok Train Station. ... Khabarovsk Bridge (1916) used to be the longest in Imperial Russia and Eurasia. ...

Considering that RHD vehicles by far outnumber the LHD ones (better suited to the rules) on the Pacific side of Russia, drivers in those regions have made multiple proposals about switching the sides of the road. However, they were denied by Russian government. During spring 2005, the rumour that RHD vehicles would be completely banned from the roads drove thousands of protestors to the streets everywhere in the country. On 4 July 2005 Russian minister of industry and energy Viktor Khristenko announced that RHD vehicles would be allowed on the roads but would have to conform to all Russian traffic safety requirements. July 4 is the 185th day of the year (186th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 180 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Viktor Khristenko Viktor Khristenko (Ви́ктор Бори́сович Христе́нко) (born August 28, 1957) was the acting prime minister of Russia from February 24, 2004, until March 5, 2004. ...

United Kingdom

One of many road signs in the English county of Kent placed deliberately on the right hand side of the road

• Vehicles within United States visiting forces bases in the UK drive on the left, even though the US does not provide specific right-hand drive vehicles for their military fleet. But their white fleet does have right-hand drive vehicles. This is unlike British practice in Germany where even UK green fleet vehicles for British Forces Germany have been left-hand drive.
• On some British Army training locations, where the army once trained for conflict in Eastern Europe during the Cold War, traffic is meant to travel on the right. Most military bases in the UK though have the normal rule of driving on the left.
• There are several locations in the UK where traffic passes other traffic coming in the opposite direction on the left hand side, but most locations are separated by a barrier (such as on the south side of Portman Square in London). Outside the Savoy Hotel, among other places, however, there is no barrier.
• Although the United Kingdom is separated from Continental Europe by the English Channel, the level of cross-Channel traffic is higher than any other place in the world where road traffic changes sides of the road; the Channel Tunnel alone carries 3.5 million vehicles per year between the UK and France. Most vehicles crossing the English Channel, whether via the Channel Tunnel or on ferries, are UK-registered RHD vehicles. Relatively few drivers from Continental Europe take their LHD cars to the UK, but large numbers of British drivers take their RHD cars to Continental Europe for holidays and even for one-day shopping trips. It was reported in 2000 that Eurotunnel wished to build a second Channel Tunnel because the existing rail services are expected to outgrow their capacity by 2025. Unlike the existing rail tunnels, a drive-through road tunnel is planned, comprising a single bore tunnel containing one carriageway on top of the other. Each carriageway would have at least two lanes in each direction and it is likely that the rule of the road would change upon passing through immigration entry controls. When using the existing Channel Tunnel, one passes through immigration entry controls of the destination country before entering the tunnel. This principle would no doubt also be used for a road tunnel, particularly to prevent any queuing of vehicles back into the tunnel. This being the case, vehicles travelling to France would keep to the right and vehicles travelling to the UK would keep to the left. Therefore when exiting the tunnel, drivers would continue directly on to the road network in the destination country without stopping. The current status of this project is unclear.
• As a result of European Union legislation ensuring the free movement of goods, many British consumers exercise their right to buy RHD cars from car dealers in any other EU country, where they are often cheaper, despite originating from the same factories as UK-sourced cars.
• During the Lockerbie bomb trial of 2000-02, Camp Zeist in the Netherlands was decreed to be British territory subject to Scottish law. However, Dumfries and Galloway Police, who were responsible for policing traffic movements within the compound, effected a clause which subjected drivers to the Continental European practice of driving on the right.

Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1335x951, 248 KB) Summary Photo taken by Nicholas Hodder. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1335x951, 248 KB) Summary Photo taken by Nicholas Hodder. ... Kent is a county in England, south-east of London. ... United States Visiting Forces is the term used in the UK by the Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom) (MoD) to describe United States forces based in the UK. Categories: Military stubs ... White fleet refers to the non-combat specific vehicles of armed forces. ... Green fleet refers to the combat specific vehicles of armed forces. ... The British Forces Germany (BFG) is the successor of the British Army of the Rhine (BAOR) and Royal Air Force Germany (RAFG) which were disbanded in 1994 after the end of the Cold War. ... The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. ... Combatants {{{combatant1}}} {{{combatant2}}} Commanders {{{commander1}}} {{{commander2}}} Strength {{{strength1}}} {{{strength2}}} Casualties {{{casualties1}}} {{{casualties2}}} {{{notes}}} The Cold War was the protracted geostrategic, economic and ideological struggle that emerged after World War II between the global superpowers of the Soviet Union and the United States, supported by their respective and emerging alliance partners. ... For other uses, see London (disambiguation). ... This article is about the Savoy Hotel in London. ... Continental Europe refers to the continent of Europe, explicitly excluding European islands and peninsulae. ... Satellite view of the English Channel The English Channel (French: La Manche, IPA: , the sleeve), also for some time known in England as the British Sea, is the part of the Atlantic Ocean that separates the island of Great Britain from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the... Channel Tunnel. ... Satellite view of the English Channel The English Channel (French: La Manche, IPA: , the sleeve), also for some time known in England as the British Sea, is the part of the Atlantic Ocean that separates the island of Great Britain from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the... Channel Tunnel. ... Continental Europe refers to the continent of Europe, explicitly excluding European islands and peninsulae. ... Continental Europe refers to the continent of Europe, explicitly excluding European islands and peninsulae. ... Eurotunnel plc (in the UK) and Eurotunnel S.A. (in France) make up the Eurotunnel Group, founded in August 1986, which manages and operates the Channel Tunnel between the UK and France. ... Channel Tunnel. ... The cockpit landed in a farmers field near a tiny church in Tundergarth, Scotland Pan Am Flight 103 was Pan Ams daily Frankfurt-London-New York-Detroit evening flight. ... The Scottish Court in the Netherlands is the name given to the special court set up under Scots Law to try two Libyan agents charged with planting a bomb on Pan Am Flight 103 which exploded over the town of Lockerbie in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. ... Scots Law (or Scottish Law) is the Law of Scotland. ... Dumfries and Galloway (Dùn Phris agus Gall-Ghaidhealaibh in Gaelic) is one of 32 unitary council areas in Scotland. ... Continental Europe refers to the continent of Europe, explicitly excluding European islands and peninsulae. ...

Vehicles

For safety reasons (and in some cases political or economic reasons), some countries have banned the sale or import of vehicles with the steering wheel on the "wrong" side.

In Australia this is the case with non-vintage LHD vehicles, with the result that Australians who do import such vehicles must pay thousands of dollars to convert them to RHD.

In New Zealand, LHD vehicles may have been privately imported, and driven locally under a LHD permit. Since 1999, only LHD vehicles older than 20 years or cars owned and operated for at least 90 days may be privately imported.

In the Philippines, RHD cars are banned. Public buses and vans imported from Japan are converted to LHD, and passenger doors are created on the right side. However, some vans keep their doors on the left side, leading to the odd (and dangerous) situation in which passengers have to exit toward oncoming traffic.

Cambodia banned the use of RHD cars, most of which were smuggled from Thailand, from 2001, even though these accounted for 80 per cent of vehicles in the country. The government threatened to confiscate all such vehicles unless they were converted to LHD, in spite of the considerable expense involved. According to a BBC report, changing the steering column from right to left would cost between US$600 and US$2000, in a country where average annual income was less than US$1000. Corporate logo of the British Broadcasting Corporation. ...

However, many used vehicles exported from Japan to countries like Russia and Peru are already converted to LHD. But even if the driver's position is left unchanged some jurisdictions require at least headlights readjustment. The term grey import refers to an item that has been imported into a country, legally, but without the agreement of the manufacturer. ...

Singapore bans LHD vehicles from being imported for personal local registration, but temporary usage by tourists of LHD vehicles is allowed. It is also notable that embassy vehicles in Singapore are exempt from the RHD-only ruling, and that there are few hydrogen powered LHD vehicles currently undergoing trials in Singapore.

In West Africa, Ghana and Gambia have also banned RHD vehicles.  Western Africa (UN subregion)  Maghreb West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. ...

Most of the above bans on RHD and LHD vehicles apply only to locally-registered vehicles. Countries that have signed the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic are not allowed to make such restrictions on foreign-registered vehicles. Paragraph 1 of Annex 5 states "All vehicles in international traffic must meet the technical requirements in force in their country of registration when they first entered into service". Therefore all signatory countries and most non-signatory countries allow the temporary import (e.g. by tourists) of foreign-registered vehicles, no matter which side the steering wheel is on. Oman, which has not signed the convention. bans all foreign-registered RHD vehicles. [2] The Vienna Convention on Road Traffic is an international treaty designed to facilitate international road traffic and to increase road safety by standardising the uniform traffic rules among the contracting parties. ... The Vienna Convention on Road Traffic is an international treaty designed to facilitate international road traffic and to increase road safety by standardising the uniform traffic rules among the contracting parties. ...

Both RHD and LHD vehicles may generally be registered in any European Union member state, but there are some restrictions and regulations. Slovakia, despite being a member of the European Union, does not allow the local registration of RHD vehicles [3], even if the vehicle is imported from one of the four EU countries that drive on the left. If a LHD vehicle is registered in the United Kingdom, then its headlights must be permanently adjusted to dip to the left, which often involves the lenses being replaced.

Most headlights are manufactured so that when dipped, they are aimed slightly towards the kerb side. In this way, RHD vehicles' headlights dip to the left and LHD vehicles' headlights dip to the right. Within Europe, when driving a RHD vehicle in a country that drives on the right or a LHD vehicle in a country that drives on the left, it is a legal requirement to adjust headlights so that they do not shine towards oncoming vehicles when dipped. This may be achieved by fixing adhesive blackout strips to the part of the lens that deflects light to one side, but an increasing number of vehicles, particularly those with Xenon headlights, can be more simply adjusted by a lever or switch on the back of the headlights, whenever switching sides of the road. However, the requirement to adjust headlights is respected by a decreasing number of drivers, and is now rarely enforced by European police forces. In France, this is probably because, since amber-tinted headlights were abolished in 1993, foreign-registered vehicles have been much less conspicuous at night. General Name, Symbol, Number xenon, Xe, 54 Chemical series noble gases Group, Period, Block 18, 5, p Appearance colorless Atomic mass 131. ...

History

There is some evidence of cart tracks from a quarry in Blunsdon Ridge near Swindon which suggests that Roman traffic was on the left, and until the 18th century, this was probably the most common choice in Europe. However, driving on the right was more common in France; this was imposed by Napoleon Bonaparte (who is said to have been left-handed) on the countries he occupied, and thus it became the practice in their colonies. Swindon is a large town located in the South West of England, in the county of Wiltshire. ... The Roman Forum was the central area around which ancient Rome developed. ... Bonaparte as general Napoleon Bonaparte ( 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821) was a general of the French Revolution and was the ruler of France as First Consul (Premier Consul) of the French Republic from November 11, 1799 to May 18, 1804, then as Emperor of the French (Empereur des Français...

Places with right-hand traffic

Note: Italics indicates year of change to right-hand traffic.

Places with left-hand traffic

Note: Italics indicates year of change to left-hand traffic.

Highway code

In many countries, the rules of the road are codified, setting out the legal requirements and punishments for breaking them.

In the United Kingdom, the rules are set out in the Highway Code, including some obligations, but also a lot of other advice on how to drive sensibly and safely. For this second set of advice, it states: Although failure to comply with the other rules of the Code will not, in itself, cause a person to be prosecuted, The Highway Code may be used in evidence in any court proceedings under Traffic Acts to establish liability. Many of its ex-colonies still retain this notice. The Highway Code is the official road safety manual for the United Kingdom. ...

In the United States, traffic laws are regulated by the states and municipalities through their respective traffic code. The federal government's Department of Transportation has some control over road signage and vehicle safety, and limited control over the Interstate highway system (which is actually built and maintained by the states). However, all state vehicle or traffic laws have common elements. These include the mandatory automobile insurance requirement, right-of-way rules, the basic speed rule (go only as fast as is safe under the circumstances up to the maximum posted speed limit), and the requirement to stop after an accident. The most common state-by-state variation is in maximum speed limits; for example, rural states like Montana have speed limits as high as 75 mph (120 km/h), but Oregon has a maximum speed limit of 65 mph (104 km/h) and Hawaii has a maximum of 55 mph. (88 km/h). Traffic code (also motor vehicle code) refers to the collection of local statutes, regulations, ordinances and rules that have been officially adopted to govern the orderly operation and interaction of motor vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians and others upon the public (and sometimes private) ways. ... Interstate Highways in the lower 48 states. ... Auto insurance is insurance consumers can purchase for cars, trucks, and other vehicles. ... A speed limit is the maximum speed allowed by law for vehicles on a road. ... Official language(s) English Capital Helena Largest city Billings Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 4th 381,156 km² 410 km 1,015 km 1 44°26 N to 49° N 104°2 W to 116°2 W Population  - Total (2000)  - Density Ranked 44th 902,195 2. ... Miles per hour is a unit of speed, expressing the number of international miles covered per hour. ... Kilometre per hour (American spelling: kilometer per hour) is a unit of both speed (scalar) and velocity (vector). ... Official language(s) None Capital Salem Largest city Portland Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 9th 255,026 km² 420 km 580 km 2. ... Official language(s) Hawaiian and English Capital Honolulu Largest city Honolulu Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 43rd 28,337 km² n/a km 2,450 km 41. ...

Priority

As well as the side of the road, priority rules also differ between countries. In the United Kingdom, priority is always indicated by signs or road markings, in that every junction has a concept of a major road and minor road (except those governed by traffic lights). In most of Continental Europe, the default priority is to give way to the right, but this default may be overridden by signs or road markings. In France, until the 1980s, the "priorité à droite" (give way to the right) rule was employed at most roundabouts, in that traffic already on the roundabout had to give way to traffic entering the roundabout. Most French roundabouts now have give-way signs for traffic entering the roundabout, but there remain some notable exceptions that operate on the old rule, such as the Place de l'Étoile around the Arc de Triomphe. Traffic on this particular roundabout is so chaotic that French insurance companies deem any accident on the roundabout to be equal liability. The default give-way-to-the-right rule used in Continental Europe causes problems for many British and Irish drivers who are accustomed to having right of way by default unless they are specifically told to give way. Continental Europe refers to the continent of Europe, explicitly excluding European islands and peninsulae. ... The Place de lÉtoile is a large Place in Paris, France, the meeting point of twelve avenues (hence the name Star Square) including the Champs-Élysées which continues to the east. ... Arc de Triomphe The Arc de Triomphe is a monument in Paris that stands in the centre of the Place de lÉtoile, at the western end of the Champs-Élysées. ... Continental Europe refers to the continent of Europe, explicitly excluding European islands and peninsulae. ...

4-way stop intersections

In the United States and Canada, there are many 4-way intersections with a stop sign at every entrance. In this case, the default rule is:

1. Whichever vehicle stops first has priority.
2. If two vehicles stop at the same time, priority is given to the vehicle on the right.
3. If three vehicles stop at the same time, priority is given to the two vehicles going in the same direction.
4. If four vehicles stop, drivers usually use gestures and other communication to establish right-of-way. In some areas, the custom is for the north-south or the more-trafficked road to have priority, although this is rare.

Overtaking

Overtaking refers to a manoeuvre that is in effect passing slower vehicles travelling in the same direction. On two-lane roads, when there is a split line or a dashed line on the side of the overtaker, drivers may overtake when it is safe. In some areas on multi-lane roads in certain jurisdictions, overtaking is permitted in the 'slower' lanes.

Lanes

The usual designation for lanes on divided highways is the fastest lane is the one closest to the center of the road, and the slowest to the edge of the road.

In the United States, the inside lane refers to the fastest (left-most lane), but in the United Kingdom, it refers to the slowest lane. Because the UK drives on the left, the inside lane is the left lane.

Usually, drivers are expected to keep in the slowest lane unless overtaking, though with more traffic, often all lanes are used. Many areas in North America do not have any laws about staying to the slowest lanes unless overtaking. In those areas, unlike many parts of Europe, traffic is allowed to overtake on any side, even in a slower lane. This practice is known as overtaking on the inside and sometimes 'undertaking', in the United Kingdom; in United States it is called passing on the right. World map showing North America A satellite composite image of North America. ... World map showing Europe Europe is conventionally considered one of the seven continents which, in this case, is more a cultural and political distinction than a physiogeographic one. ...

U.S. state-specific practices

Furthermore, in some U.S. states such as Massachusetts, although there are laws requiring all traffic on a public way to use the right-most lane unless overtaking, this rule is often ignored and seldom enforced on multi-lane roadways. A U.S. state is any one of the fifty states (four of which officially favor the term commonwealth) which, along with the District of Columbia, form the United States of America. ... Official language(s) English Capital Boston Largest city Boston Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 44th 10,555 mi²; 27,360 km² 183 mi; 295 km 113 mi; 182 km 13. ...

In other states like California, cars may use any lane on multi-lane roadways. Slower drivers are strongly encouraged to stay in the rightmost lanes to keep the way clear for faster vehicles, and thus speed up traffic. However, faster drivers can merely pass in the slower lanes if they wish. But the California Vehicle Code also requires trucks to stay in the right lane, or in the right two lanes if the roadway has four or more lanes going in their direction. The oldest freeways in California that pre-dated this rule often have ramps on the left, making signs like "TRUCKS OK ON LEFT LANE" or "TRUCKS MAY USE ALL LANES" necessary to override the default rule. Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 3rd 410,000 km² 402. ... High-capacity freeway interchange in Los Angeles, California. ...

External links

• Which side of the road do they drive on?
• Why Left or Right Traffic?
• Why Don't We Drive On The Same Side Of The Road Around The World?
• Road Traffic Driving on the Right or on the Left
• Safety aspects of driving on the left :

Books

• Rule of the Road by Peter Kincaid, 239 pages, published by Greenwood Press in 1986 - ISBN 0-313-25249-1