Adjust to Driving a Car on the Left Side of the Road

Even though about 75% of the world’s drivers are used to driving on the right side of the road, many countries still drive on the left. This can be disorienting to get used to, so it is necessary to do a little extra preparation before getting out on the road. By taking a few precautions before you drive, like testing out all of the controls and settling in, and adjusting the way you drive, like going slower and getting rid of distractions, you can adjust to a totally new way of driving.

Steps

Adjusting to the Car

1. Find out about the car. Learning what type of car you are going to drive is important. If you are taking a trip where you’ll be driving on the left side of the road, then you are probably renting a car. Call the rental company ahead of time and find out if they have both manual and automatic. Even if you are used to driving stick, considering renting an automatic to make the adjustment easier.
   • If you are only familiar with one method, it’s best to try and stick to that so you are only learning one new thing at a time.
   • Also consider finding out about, if possible, what specific car you will be driving (its make and model), to help you get a feel for how it will drive.
   • Many countries that have left-driving roads tend to have more manual cars than automatic, so you may have to pay more to rent an automatic car.
2. Pick up the car in a rural or non-city location. If you are learning to adjust to driving on the left side of the road, you are most likely in a country that you are not familiar with. Learning this new way of driving in a city with heavy traffic can add to the stress of the situation, so it is helpful whenever possible to pick up your car in a more rural location.
   • You may have to pick a different rental company, or see if they will deliver the car to wherever you are. The benefit of this is that you will have more open roads to get used to rather than densely packed cities with tight streets.
   • If you can’t pick it up a distance outside the city, see if you can pick it up close to the edge rather than the middle, so that way you can head out of the city immediately.
3. Get a feel for the car. Once you are in the driver’s seat, you should take some time to get acquainted with the setup up and functions of the car. The shifter is going to be on your left side now instead of the right side. The turn signals, windshield wipers, and headlight controls may be on the opposite side of the steering wheel as they were before. Testing these controls before you drive is absolutely necessary.
   • Even in cars with the driver’s seat on the right side of the car, the brake and accelerator are in the same position as left side driver’s seat cars. Still, your right leg will be against the door rather than against the middle console or in the open. Get used to the feel of having your right leg against the door.

Following the Customs

1. Beware the roundabouts. Roundabouts are a frequent part of driving in European countries that use left-lane driving. You’ll still see some traffic lights, but you already know how to handle those. Roundabouts may be a bit more challenging, even if you have driven them in your home country. The added difficulty of the driving on the left can make them a little more daunting. Roundabouts are designed to be safer than traffic lights and they allow traffic to keep slowing rather than stop completely.
   • Always yield to those people already driving in the roundabout. They have the right of way.
   • You have to pick the lane you want to use and stay in that lane until you exit the roundabout. Look for signs before entering the roundabout that direct which lane you should use, if the roundabout has multiple lanes. The lane more to the right is essentially for those who are making a right turn. The left lane, then, is for those who are using one of the three or more other roadways.
   • The main thing to remember at first is just to slow down and be cautious until you get the hang of the roundabout. Try to watch the other traffic and mimic what they are doing.
2. Pay attention to narrow roads. On roads with one two lanes, one going in each direction, you always want to pay attention to how wide the roadway is and stay close to the outside. Sometimes you may have to inch off the road a little to allow other cars to pass you.
   • This can be especially tricky on streets that have cars parked on the sides. Sometimes you will need to pull off to the side and stop and let a car from the opposite direction go past first. Likewise, locals will often let you go past as well.
3. Drive defensively. Some countries have local customs that can include breaking traffic laws. Red lights may be discretionary, and if a driver sees that no one is coming they may pass through the red light anyway. You still want to know the laws, but you can begin to adapt to the local practices by paying attention. Still, you are the only one who has your safety and best interest in mind, so being over-cautious and defensive while you drive is probably still best.

Succeeding on Your Drive

1. Drive slower than you usually would. When you are learning to do almost anything, slowing down is usually pretty helpful, and this is definitely true when adjusting to a new way of driving. Since you will be looking at the road from a new vantage point, it’s possible that your reaction time will be a little slower than it was before. If you are driving fast, then this will only make your slow reactions seem worse.
   • Don’t be afraid to go slower while you get the feel of this new way of driving. People may get up close behind you, so it’s not a bad idea every so often to pull off to the side and let those people go past you. It is better to have a few people angry at you and to take more time on your drive than to go faster than you can handle and cause an accident.
2. Minimize your distractions. A lot of drivers tend to get in the groove of driving and often let themselves multitask or pay attention to more than the road while they drive. You may be used to adjusting the stereo system, looking at your phone to text or navigate, reaching behind you to find something in the back seat, or eating a quick lunch on your commute. Don’t do all that. Focus on the road.
   • Consider whether or not you think you might need to do these things and specifically do them before you get going.
   • It can also be a good idea to forego listening to music at all on your first driving trip.
3. Familiarize yourself with the route and plan your navigation. You most likely don’t know the roads when you are starting to drive on the left side, so it can be really helpful to learn the basics of the drive you are about to make.
   • Before you start your drive, study the map and try to have a good idea of where you are going. If it is possible to set audio navigation on either your phone, the car itself, or a gps system, this is a good idea. Having the route clearly defined will free you up to focus only on driving.
4. Use the buddy system. If at all possible when learning to drive on the left, it is good to have another passenger along for the ride who can help you remember to stay on the left side of the road. They can also watch the center line and help you make sure you are not drifting too close to or completely over it. They can also act as navigator and help you watch for signs and other drivers. Obviously this will not always be possible, but it’s a great help if you can manage it.
   • Having someone else with is also really helpful when you go to park for the first time. You may very well have to parallel park, which tends to be easier if you have someone who can guide you.
   • Plus, if you are particularly nervous about making this driving adjustment, having someone to talk to and keep you calm will be invaluable.
5. Pay attention when pulling out of parking lots. If you are used to driving on the right side of the road, then pulling right out of a parking lot means pulling into the lane that is closest to you. On roadways where you drive on the left, now pulling out to the right means you are crossing oncoming traffic. Make sure you check to your right (the oncoming lane) before pulling out into the left lane.
   • This also means that pulling out left means you will pull into the left lane closest to you, assuming the road only has two lanes. This will feel unsettling at first, so just take an extra breath and an extra look to remind yourself what you are doing.
   • When you are getting used to this, deliberately look at the roadway a couple extra times to firmly remind yourself where you are at in traffic and whether or not you are crossing oncoming traffic to get to your lane.

Tips

• Take a little time to learn the driving laws of the country you’ll be in. Knowing how to drive the car is not the only thing necessary to succeed at driving on the left side. Learn about right-of-way, types of signs, and speed limit regulations.
• Many people find it incredibly helpful to attach a sticky note or sticker on the windshield that says, “Drive on the left.” This way you have a constant reminder of your new position on the road.

Warnings

• Make sure what kind of licensing you need because you may need to make specific plans to be a legal driver.

Related Articles

• Prepare to Make a Right Turn
• Use Parking Lot Etiquette
• Use Your Turn Signal
• Begin Driving on Freeways for a Novice Driver

Sources and Citations

See also

• Upshift
• Angle Park
• Check Road Conditions
• Parallel Park
• Drive a Car
• Drive Smoothly with a Manual Transmission
• Park on a Hill
• Park a Car
• Pump Gas
• Be a Better Driver

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What links here

• Cross the Road in Indonesia
• Drive to Help Someone Follow You
• Accompany a Learner Driver (UK)