Left! No, Right! No, Left! Trivia Quiz

Answer: Right

In the early years of British colonisation of North America, British customs were followed and horses and carts kept to the left hand side of the road. After gaining independence, however, the states were anxious to cast off all remaining links with their British colonial past and gradually changed to right-hand driving.

Answer: Right

Sweden relatively recently decided to change to driving on the right hand side of the road and changed in a single day (3rd September 1967) known as "Dagen H" or "Högertrafikomläggningen" ("The right-hand traffic diversion").

Answer: Left

Although Japan was never part of the British Empire, its traffic also keeps to the left. This practice goes back all the way to the Edo period (1603-1867) when Samurai ruled the country but it wasn't until 1872 that this unwritten rule became official. That was the year when Japan's first railway was introduced.

Three countries approached the Japanese government to help them build a railway system. These three countries were America, France, and Britain. In the end, Britain won out. In 1872 the first Japanese railway was up and running thanks to the British. A massive network of railways spread out from there, all of which were left-side running. And as we all know, Japan loves their trains. If American or French railways had been built instead, Japan would probably be driving on the right side of the road today.

Answer: Right

when Taiwan was under Japanese control, it drove on the left, but converted to driving on the right hand side of the road when it, and the rest of China, gained independence in 1946.

Answer: Left

Sri Lanka (Ceylon) was an ex-British Colony and as such drives on the left hand side of the road. Since gaining independence they have not changed this.

Answer: Left

Suriname is a former Dutch colony. The country adopted the 'British' side of the road to match its neighbour, the ex-British, left-driving country of Guyana.

Answer: Right

Luxembourg, like nearly every other country in Europe, drives on the right hand side of the road.

Answer: Right

Canada, being a former British Colony and member of the Commonwealth, is unusual in that it drives on the right hand side of the road. It started the transition from left to right when British Columbia and the Atlantic provinces switched to the right in the 1920s in order to conform with the rest of Canada and the USA. Newfoundland drove on the left until 1947, and joined Canada in 1949.

Answer: Left

Thailand was not a former British Colony yet it drives on the left hand side of the road. Initial research shows that the reason for this might be down to the fact that first car introduced to Thailand was a present from the British Royal family. I am not sure whether this is true, but since 2013, the Thai government have been investigating whether they will indeed change to driving on the right hand side of the road - watch this space!

Answer: Left

Whilst Mozamique is a former Portuguese colony, it chose to drive on the left hand side of the road because of the close proximity of British Colonies including South Africa, Zambia, Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) and Kenya.