Why Americans Follow the Right Lane while the UK Chooses the Left: Unraveling the Driving Traditions

 

I drove to rural Amish country in Pennsylvania to inquire about a wagon, aiming to answer a question that arose during my 2015 work trip to England. While carefully navigating London in a Mini Cooper, I pondered why I was driving on the "wrong" side of the road. As a U.S. native, it struck me that despite sharing a language with the UK, we drove on opposing sides, occasionally leading to hazardous consequences.

The UK is not alone in its left-side driving; approximately 30% of countries globally adhere to this practice, with the remaining 70% favoring the right. The historical origins of this distinction are varied.

In Europe, Napoleon Bonaparte played a central role, while in the United States, Henry Ford is often erroneously credited. Left-side driving predates both Ford and the establishment of the United States, as I discovered during my visit to Conestoga, Pennsylvania. There, I explored a former tobacco-drying barn, examining a wagon crucial to the story—the Conestoga wagon.

Developed in the early 1700s by local craftsmen, these wagons with arched cloth roofs symbolized America's westward expansion, transporting pioneers' belongings from the east to the frontier. With origins in western Pennsylvania, Conestoga wagons carried goods to Philadelphia, and their design placed controls on the left side, aligning with the driver's right hand.

The trade and traffic between Lancaster County and Philadelphia led to the creation of America's first major highway, the Philadelphia and Lancaster Turnpike Road, in 1795. The rule of keeping to the right, akin to Conestoga wagons, was inscribed in its charter.

In 1804, New York became the first state to mandate right-side traffic. Despite popular belief, Henry Ford merely adapted to existing driving habits with the left-side steering wheel in the 1908 Model T.

Interestingly, most of Europe, excluding Britain, adopted right-side driving similar to the United States.

The divergence between Britain and the rest of Europe can be attributed to the French Revolution. Under Maximilien Robespierre, the French government enforced driving on the right to eliminate class distinctions tied to road usage. Napoleon further spread this policy through Europe during his military campaigns.

Sweden, however, remained an exception, driving on the left until 1967 when it switched to the right. Britain, in contrast to France, likely stuck to left-side driving due to a prevalence of smaller carriages and individual horse riders.

Switching sides has led to real consequences and serious crashes. Drivers adapting to a different side are advised to concentrate and take extra precautions.

To address the challenge, AAA's William Van Tassel recommends turning off the radio and talking to oneself while driving. Avis Budget Group, renting many cars to Americans in the UK, provides reminders through stickers and wristbands to promote left-side driving awareness.

Van Tassel also recommends having a passenger for an extra set of eyes, acknowledging the added support he experienced while driving in the UK.