Prompt Cast
The History and Evolution of Driving on the Left or Right Side of the Road
TLDR The tradition of driving on the left side of the road originated from ancient Rome, while the rest of Europe drives on the right side for unknown reasons. In the late 19th century, European countries began to standardize driving on the right side, with France being the first to adopt this practice, and other countries following suit to align with their neighbors.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
There is no global standard for which side of the road to drive on, with some countries driving on the left and others on the right.
02:28
Approximately 70% of humanity lives in a right driving country and 30% in a left driving country, with most left-hand driving countries being islands or former British colonies.
04:10
The theory behind driving on the left side of the road is that it originated from ancient Rome, where people rode on the left to have their right hand free for protection, and this tradition likely carried over to Britain as a Roman province, while the rest of Europe drives on the right side for unknown reasons.
05:45
In the late 19th century, European countries began to standardize driving on the right side of the road, with France being the first to adopt this practice, and other countries following suit to align with their neighbors; China, Korea, and African countries also switched sides based on various factors, while the United States and Canada have always driven on the right side.
07:23
In 1967, Sweden switched from driving on the left to driving on the right, which required a complete ban on non-essential traffic in the country for the day.
09:07
In some countries, the side of the road you drive on is determined by where the majority of cars come from, and border crossings between countries with different driving sides can be as simple as a sign or as complex as an overpass.
10:52
Driving on the opposite side of the road can be challenging at first, but with practice, it becomes second nature, and although it would have been easier if there was a formal international standard for driving, the current system is unlikely to change.
