Have you ever wondered why traffic drives on the left in some countries?
Rules for driver and pedestrian safety are common in many countries around the world. For example, practices such as vehicles stopping at pedestrian crossings, firefighters and similar vehicles having priority, and stopping at red lights are among the basic rules valid almost everywhere in the world.
However, in some parts of the world, practices different from generally accepted ones can be encountered. The most important of these is that traffic flows from the left. Through this article, you can have the opportunity to learn all the details you are curious about about left-hand traffic.
What does it mean if traffic flows on the left?
In countries where traffic flows on the left, vehicles drive in the left lane. Therefore, traffic coming from the opposite direction flows in the right lane. In left-hand traffic, crossings are made from the right lane, contrary to the generally accepted rule in many parts of the world. In keeping with the flow, most traffic signs are placed on the left side of the road for drivers to see better.
When you come across a traffic circle in left-hand traffic, you need to move your vehicle clockwise. You can eliminate possible accident risks by paying attention to one more point when you come across pedestrian crossings. This point is when pedestrians who are about to cross the street look to the right first to check for traffic. In fact, pedestrians move on the right, unlike in our country, in order to move in harmony with the traffic flowing on the left.
Moving traffic from the left does not only bring about application-based changes. Radical changes can also be observed in the designs of the vehicles. The fact that the driver’s seat is located on the right stands out as the most striking example of these changes. Naturally, drivers sitting on the right adjust the position of mechanical aids used to control traffic, such as rearview mirrors, in a different direction than we do.
In Which Countries Does Traffic Drive on the Left?
In 75 countries around the world, traffic flows in the left lane. This number corresponds to 31% of the total number of countries where traffic flow-related applications are in effect. Among the roads open to traffic in the world, the rate of those designed for left-hand traffic is stated to be 28% in various sources.
England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, also known as the United Kingdom, are the first countries that come to mind when left-hand traffic is mentioned. Therefore, most of the roads with designs suitable for this application are located in these countries. Apart from the United Kingdom, traffic also drives on the left in the Malta and Cyprus. Countries where roads are designed for left-hand traffic also include Australia, India, the Republic of South Africa and Kenya.
You can benefit from a very easy method to find out in which countries traffic flows on the left. If a country has spent any period of its recent history under British rule, there is a high probability that traffic will drive on the left. Japan is the only exception to this rule. Because in this country, the rule that traffic flows on the left is given regardless of external factors. There is a different situation in our country. Metrobuses used for passenger transportation in some cities proceed from the left lane in order not to obstruct the general flow.
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