right.
The French drive on the right side of the road, like most European countries. If you’re hiring a car and haven’t driven on the right before you will have to get used to the steering wheel being on the left-hand side of the vehicle. Start out driving defensively until you get used to it.
Is Europe left or right hand drive?
Europe generally drives on the right hand side apart from Cyprus, Ireland, Malta and the United Kingdom. Guyana and Suriname are the only countries in South America to drive on the left.
Can you drive a right hand drive in France?
Whereas we drive on the left-hand side on the road in the UK, in France they drive on the right-hand side. If you’re driving your own right-hand drive car in France, that means the curb on the driver’s side, rather than the passenger’s side.
Which countries in Europe are left-hand drive?
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. This chart shows countries by left and right-hand traffic in 2020.
What Lane does France drive on?
right
For example: The French drive on the right, just as we do in the USA. French citizens cannot get a driver’s license until age 18 and must take drivers’ training classes at an “Auto Ecole” – a licensed driving school. Before receiving a license, the driver must pass a comprehensive written and practical exam.
Is France a left hand drive?
France driving rules
The French drive on the right side of the road, like most European countries. If you’re hiring a car and haven’t driven on the right before you will have to get used to the steering wheel being on the left-hand side of the vehicle.
What countries drive on left?
List of Territories and Countries That Follow Left-Hand Traffic Laws
- Australia.
- Christmas Island.
- Cocos (Keeling) Islands.
- Cook Islands.
- Fiji.
- Kiribati.
- Nauru.
- New Zealand.
What do UK drivers need to drive in France?
To drive in France you must be 18 years old and have a valid UK driving licence, insurance and vehicle documents. You do not need to carry an additional International Driving Permit (IDP). If you do not own the vehicle you’re driving, you should get written permission from the registered owner.
Is driving in France difficult?
Driving around some of the main cities can be difficult too, because of traffic. Some streets in old town centers and old villages can be narrow. Most foreigners will find that parking is the most difficult part of driving in France.
Can UK citizens drive in France?
If your UK driving licence was first issued before 1 January 2021. Your licence is recognised in France for as long as it is valid. Paper licences are usually valid until you are 70. For plastic photocard licences, the expiry date is on the front.
Which country has no left hand drive?
LHT was introduced by the British in British India (now India, Pakistan, Myanmar, and Bangladesh), British Malaya and British Borneo (now Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore), and British Hong Kong. All are still LHT except Myanmar, which switched to RHT in 1970, although much of its infrastructure is still geared to LHT.
Why do the French drive on the right?
As the story goes, the aristocracy in France used to drive on the left side, forcing the peasants over to the right, but after the French Revolution, aristocrats moved to the right to blend in.
Is UK left hand drive?
Even though the vast majority of cars in the UK are right hand drive, It’s entirely legal to drive a left hand drive car in the UK. However, you do need to register a left hand drive car in the UK, and then arrange insurance and ensure you’ve got all the necessary paperwork, such as your V5C.
Which countries use right hand drive?
Still, there are some countries that want to maintain their right-hand driving tradition — particularly the U.K. Other countries that also practice it include:
- Thailand.
- South Africa.
- Singapore.
- New Zealand.
- Malta.
- Malaysia.
- Kenya.
- Japan.
Are French roundabouts different?
At roundabouts
In most countries, vehicles which are already on the roundabout get priority. On traditional roundabouts in France, however, vehicles entering the flow of traffic from the right get right-of-way, meaning drivers must yield even though they are already on the roundabout.
Can you use hands free in France?
No hands-free or Bluetooth devices
Use of all mobile phone hands-free and Bluetooth devices when driving is banned in France. If you’re caught chatting away, you could land yourself with a €135 fine.
When did France stop driving on the left?
In 1919 another commission was charged with finishing work on it. This commission rejected the idea of driving on the left. The highway code was finalised and promulgated in 1921, with driving on the right enshrined in law.
Why did France change to left hand drive?
In Europe, Pope Boniface VIII instructed pilgrims to keep to the left in the year 1300. Later, class distinction in France meant that aristocrats drove their carriages on the left side of the road forcing everybody else over to the centre or to the right-hand side.
Why is Europe left hand drive?
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 Americans drive on the right?
New York, in 1804, became the first State to prescribe right hand travel on all public highways. By the Civil War, right hand travel was followed in every State. Drivers tended to sit on the right so they could ensure their buggy, wagon, or other vehicle didn’t run into a roadside ditch.
Which country changed driving from right to left?
Sweden
Sweden initiated the driving change in part because its neighbors already drove on the right side of the road. Many members of the Swedish parliament also argued that the left-hand vehicles Swedes drove had caused too many head-on collisions.