Driving on the Left Abroad

Which countries drive on the left?

In Europe, people drive on the left in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Malta and Cyprus. In the rest of the world, it's mainly countries that were colonized by England.
Left-hand traffic is used, among others, in South Africa, Australia, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Malaysia, New Zealand, Pakistan and Thailand.

For "the fun fact"…

Contrary to what we might think "on the continent", it's actually driving on the right that is the anomaly. As "Continentals", we're therefore driving "on the wrong side of the road"!

A bit of background: since the Roman Empire and throughout the Middle Ages, horsemen or knights (most of whom were right-handed) wore their weapon on the left side of the body so they could draw it more easily with their right hand in case of attack. They therefore logically traveled on the left side of the road, which allowed them to defend themselves against potential attackers coming from their right.

Everything changed in the time of Napoleon Bonaparte, who decided to train his troops to surprise the enemy from the right in order to win more battles. This rule became the standard in the countries he conquered, unlike England, which refused to comply and continued driving on the left.

Is driving on the left difficult?

You'll have the most trouble the first time and during the first few kilometers. Drive calmly to get used to it. After that, you'll adapt quickly, especially if you're in a flow of traffic. You'll then be able to easily match the driving of the vehicles around you.

However, watch out for roundabouts and bends. Pay attention to the space on your left separating your vehicle from the edges/curbs of the road and areas for cyclists or pedestrians (but don't drift too far to the right either!).

When changing direction at intersections, remember to keep to your left. One trick is to put a sticker or a "reminder note" on your dashboard to help you remember.

Watch out for pedestrian crossings: look in the correct direction for that side of the road.

Also be very careful on small, narrow and/or quiet roads, where you might tend to position yourself on the right side instead of the left. If you're driving with a passenger, they can help keep an eye on your driving and remind you if needed.

Don't become a ghost driver! Be careful not to make a mistake at motorway entrances.

You'll adapt much more easily if you rent a vehicle on location, rather than driving your own car (with the steering wheel on the left) there.

Get familiar with and follow the traffic rules of the country you're driving in.

Driving your Belgian vehicle in Great Britain

Watch out for your low beam headlights

Every driver knows it: it's forbidden to dazzle oncoming drivers. Since cars that drive on the right on our roads have headlights angled slightly to the right to better illuminate the shoulder and road signs, your headlights risk dazzling other drivers if you drive your vehicle in Great Britain or Ireland. To avoid this problem, you can get a headlight adapter (a kind of sticker) that you apply to your headlights. You can also choose to cover part of your headlights with opaque adhesive tape, though you'll need to know exactly where to apply it. Another trick is to lower your headlights as much as possible, but this risks dangerously limiting your visibility.

Some types of cars allow you to adjust the direction of their headlights.

If you choose to get an adapter (such as the beam deflector sold by Eurolites), know that it's sold in many car accessory shops, at auto clubs, online, or on car ferries heading to Great Britain or Ireland. Before applying it, read the instructions carefully. Don't forget to remove it as soon as you're back on the continent.

Also read:

• Should you drive with your low beam headlights on?
• Traffic rules abroad