What Side Does The Driver Sit In The UK?

Which side is the driver's seat in UK?

Britain and Ireland

Famously, cars in the UK and Ireland drive on the left -hand side of the road, with the driver's seat situated in

the right-hand section of the car

.

Why do UK drive on the left?

This seating position was to allow the rider to hold his whip in his right hand. The left-seated position meant that

he could also more easily judge passing wagons

. He could be sure to keep clear of the wheels of oncoming wagons and avoid damaging his horses – he did that by passing on the right hand side.

What side does the driver sit on?

Americans, Italians, Germans and many other cultures hold that the driver should be sit on the

left-hand side

of the car and the car should sit on the right-hand side of the road; the British, Japanese, Indians and Australians, among others, say the steering wheel belongs on the right-hand side of the car and the …

Why are British driver seats on the right?

As most people are right-handed, the driver would sit to the right of

the seat so his whip hand was free

. 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.

Which is better driving on the left or right?

In the past, the USA used the right-hand driving system. Ford was one of the first US-based car manufacturers that switched from right to left-hand drive vehicles back in the early 20th century. According to the company,

left-hand driving

greatly improves safety since the driver can easily spot incoming vehicles.

Why does Europe drive on the left?

The practice is believed to date back to ancient Rome.

Romans steered their carts and chariots with the left hand

, to free up the right so they could use weapons to defend against enemy attacks. This carried over into medieval Europe and in 1773, the British government passed measures to make left-hand traffic the law.

Why do Japanese drive on the left?

Following Japan's defeat during World War II, the Japanese prefecture of Okinawa came under American rule, which meant that the island was required to drive on the right. In

1978 once the area was returned to Japan

, the drivers also returned to the left side of the road.

Does Scotland drive on the left or right?

What side of the road do I drive on in Scotland?

Always drive on the left hand side of the road

.

Does Europe drive on right or left?

Only

four countries in Europe still drive on the left

and they are all islands. They consist of the UK, the Republic of Ireland, Malta and Cyprus.

Which countries have driver seat on right side?

• 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.

Why is the driver's seat on the right side?

Drivers tended to sit on the right

so they could ensure their buggy, wagon, or other vehicle didn't run into a roadside ditch

. … Thus, most American cars produced before 1910 were made with right-side driver seating, although intended for right-side driving.

What is the benefit of driving on the left?

When they let off passengers,

they are let off right into traffic instead of safely at the curb

. It is also easier to judge the distance from the center line, if the driver is on the opposite side of the lane they drive in. This could help drivers from veering into the opposite lane and prevent accidents.

Does China drive on the left?

Did Germany ever drive on the left?

They continued to drive on

the left until they were annexed by Germany in WWII

, at which point they were forced to drive on the right like the rest of Europe.

Did Norway ever drive on the left?

All neighbouring countries drive on the right, including Norway and Finland, with which Sweden shares land borders, with five million vehicles crossing annually.

Approximately 90 percent of Swedes drove left-hand drive vehicles

, and this led to many head-on collisions when passing on narrow two-lane highways.