Which side is the steering wheel on in French cars?
2 Answers
In France, the steering wheel is on the left side. Driving in France is the same as in mainland China, with right-hand traffic. Most European countries have similar traffic rules to France, but there are many roundabouts in the area, so it's important to pay attention to yielding. Here are some things to keep in mind when driving in France: When two vehicles arrive at an intersection simultaneously from different roads, the vehicle on the left must yield. When entering a public road from a park, private area, or parking lot, all vehicles on the road must yield. Additionally, vehicles approaching an intersection must yield to vehicles passing through the intersection. When there is no danger, intersections without signs should follow the principle of yielding to the right. When overtaking, pass on the left. Moreover, drivers cannot use the left or middle lanes of the road to overtake. Additionally, overtaking is prohibited at intersections except for two-wheeled vehicles.
After driving in France for so many years, having the steering wheel always on the left feels like second nature. The traffic rules dictate driving on the right, so sitting on the left side provides a better view of oncoming traffic from the right. Once, when I took an American friend for a road trip, he wasn’t used to the steering wheel being on the left at first and fumbled a bit during turns, but he got the hang of it after half a day. In Paris city traffic, this layout makes navigating intersections and watching traffic signals easier. Country roads are especially smooth, with open visibility reducing blind spots. New drivers are advised to start with smaller cars and avoid sudden acceleration. From a safety perspective, having the steering wheel on the left matches the right-side driving habit, lowering the risk of accidents. Overall, the experience is very stable, and I believe familiarity with the environment is key.
