Which countries drive on the left vs the right side of the road?

Aggiornato il 3 Jul 2026

Risposta diretta

Around 75 countries and territories drive on the left — including the UK, Ireland, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Kenya — while most of the world, including the US, Canada, China, continental Europe and Latin America, drives on the right. Rental cars come configured for the local side, so the real adjustment is yours: mirrored roundabouts, overtaking lanes and turns.

In sintesi

Left-hand traffic: ≈75 countries/territories — UK, Japan, Australia, India, Thailand…
Right-hand traffic: Most of the world — US, Canada, continental Europe, China, Latin America
Europe's left-side outliers: UK, Ireland, Cyprus, Malta
Rental cars: Always configured for the local side
Highest-risk moments: Pulling out of car parks, quiet junctions, after breaks

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The left-driving world at a glance

Left-hand traffic covers roughly a quarter of the world's countries and territories, largely tracking former British influence plus Japan, Indonesia and Thailand. The big blocs: the British Isles (UK, Ireland) and Mediterranean islands Cyprus and Malta; southern and eastern Africa (South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe and neighbours); South Asia (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal); much of Southeast Asia (Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia); Japan; and Oceania (Australia, New Zealand, Fiji). Most of the Caribbean's island nations also drive on the left.

The right-driving world

Everywhere else drives on the right: all of North, Central and South America (with a few Caribbean exceptions), all of continental Europe, Russia and Central Asia, China and Korea, the Middle East, and northern and western Africa. Notably, the borders can be abrupt — drive from right-side China into left-side Hong Kong, or from Spain toward Gibraltar's UK-influenced roads, and crossings are engineered to swap traffic sides.

Switching sides: what actually trips drivers up

The car helps more than you'd expect — the driver always sits toward the centre line, so a local rental constantly reminds you where you are. The dangerous moments are the unprompted ones: pulling out of a car park or petrol station onto an empty road, turning across traffic (a right turn in left-driving countries crosses oncoming lanes, and vice versa), and the first minutes after a rest stop. Roundabouts run clockwise in left-driving countries and anticlockwise in right-driving ones, and you overtake on the side away from the kerb. Say the rule aloud before pulling out; it sounds silly and it works.

How this interacts with rentals and paperwork

You don't need a special licence to drive on the other side — your normal entitlement carries over, subject to the destination's usual document rules. Those rules are the real homework: many left-driving destinations popular with travellers (Japan, Thailand, Indonesia among them) require an International Driving Permit with many foreign licences, and rental desks check paperwork regardless of which side the country drives on. Check your destination on our free checker and its requirements page, get any required IDP from your home country's authorised issuer, and carry a certified translation companion if your licence's script won't be readable locally.

Cosa preparare

Confirm your destination's traffic side before booking a car
Check its licence/IDP rule — side of road and paperwork are separate questions
Choose automatic transmission for your first other-side trip if possible
Extra care at car-park exits, quiet junctions and after breaks
Carry licence + any required IDP + translation companion for rental desks

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Domande frequenti

How many countries drive on the left?

Around 75 countries and territories, including the UK, Ireland, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Kenya. The rest of the world — including the US, continental Europe and China — drives on the right.

Do I need a different licence to drive on the other side of the road?

No — no country issues a separate 'left-side' or 'right-side' entitlement. Your normal licence applies, subject to the destination's standard rules: some accept it directly, some accept a certified translation, and some require an International Driving Permit from your home country's authorised issuer.

Which way do roundabouts go in left-driving countries?

Clockwise — you give way to traffic coming from your right and circulate to the left. In right-driving countries it's mirrored: anticlockwise, giving way to the left in most systems. Approach slowly the first few times and follow the car ahead's line.

Fonti governative e ufficiali

Consulta anche la nostra guida sugli emittenti autorizzati per sapere dove ottenere un vero IDP quando il tuo viaggio lo richiede.

Requirements vary by country. Carry your translation together with your original driving licence and passport; some countries require an official IDP issued by an authorised body in your country of licence. Information provided is general guidance. Always check local regulations for your destination.