Why do people drive with the steering wheel on the right in England and on the left in Brazil?

Understand the historical and cultural evolution that led different countries to adopt the English or French hand traffic system

While most countries, including the Brazil, adopts the traffic system where cars circulate on the right side of the road, England and 55 other countries maintain the famous “English hand“, in which vehicles travel on the left and the steering wheel is on the right. But why don’t England and these other nations follow the more common “standard”? The answer involves a combination of tradition, military history e noble influences that shaped modern traffic, according to autopapo.

The historical origin of the English hand

The custom of driving by left, known as “English hand”, has its roots in very ancient practices. The Romans, for example, used to march on the left of the roads, keeping your right hand free to wield weapons and defend yourself from potential enemies. This practice was adopted by the medieval knights in England, who, when holding their swords or spears with their right hand, preferred to keep theirs with their left to make combat easier.

Later, with the popularization of carriages, this habit remained.. Coachmen controlled the reins with their left hand and used their right hand for the whip. Thus, driving on the left avoided the risk of whipping pedestrians walking alongside the road, keeping them safer. And as if that were not enough, nobles also had a certain preference for driving on the left, while the “common people” traveled on the right, creating a social division on public roads.

Why does Brazil follow the French hand?

Although the English hand was the norm for a long time, it did not become the world standard. And the main person responsible for this was none other than Napoleon Bonaparte. The French emperor was left-handed and preferred his troops, and the horses that transported them, to travel on the right, so that he could use his left hand in case of combat. This “personal touch” ended up shaping traffic in much of Europe.

With French Revolution, the nobles, who previously drove on the left, began to drive on the right to blend in with the common population and avoid reprisals. This culminated in the creation of a law in 1794 that required Parisians to drive on the right. Brazil, in turn, following French and European influence, adopted the “French hand” system, where cars drive on the right side of the road and the steering wheel is on the left.

English hand today: where is it adopted?

Although the left-hand drive is less common compared to the traffic system adopted in Brazil, it is still used in several countries around the world. England, for example, maintained this tradition, which spread to several of its former colonies, such as Australia, India, South Africa and Japan.

The reason why these countries maintained the left-hand traffic system is deeply linked to British influence and the cultural resistance of some peoples to abandon a tradition that goes back centuries. Furthermore, changing the circulation side would require a major overhaul in the traffic infrastructure, something that, in practice, would be extremely expensive and complex.

Interesting facts about the left-hand drive and traffic in the world

Did you know that changing hands can be a challenge? One of the biggest examples occurred in Sweden, which, until 1967, used the English-hand system. However, the government decided to change to the right-hand traffic model. The transition, which became known as “H-Day“It was a true national spectacle: on September 3rd, at 5am, all drivers had to stop their cars and change sides!

In addition, there are other interesting details. In Japan, for example, the adoption of the English hand did not come from European influence, but rather from a practical necessity: the railways built in the country were based on British standards, which ended up leading the country to follow the same system on its roads.

Do you think it's better or more complicated?

Therefore, the adoption of the English hand in traffic is deeply rooted in story and the traditions of each country. While England maintained this practice due to its culture and combat influences, countries like Brazil followed the French model, shaped by Napoleon. Today, the world remains divided between the two systems, and regardless of which side of the road we drive on, it is interesting to see how history has shaped even the paths we take.