Why is the steering wheel on the left side?
2 Answers
China's traffic regulations require driving on the right side of the road. If the steering wheel were on the right side, the driver would have difficulty seeing the traffic and road conditions behind them, hence it must be positioned on the left. Additional information about road traffic directions is as follows: 1. The direction of road traffic is an important aspect of traffic regulations worldwide, specifying which side of the road vehicles should drive on to prevent confusion and accidents. 2. Road traffic directions can be divided into two categories: left-hand traffic and right-hand traffic. 34% of countries drive on the left side, while 66% drive on the right side. 3. The side of the road vehicles drive on depends on long-established traffic rules, which have led to more detailed and strict road traffic regulations. Many countries have legally defined the direction of vehicle traffic.
I've been driving for over twenty years, and the left-side steering wheel has its roots in history. Early horse-drawn carriages traveled on the right side of the road, allowing the coachman to sit on the left for easier whip control with the right hand without hitting pedestrians. Later, the Ford Model T in the U.S. standardized this practice—placing the steering wheel on the left improved visibility of oncoming traffic, especially during overtaking, making it much safer. Today, three-quarters of the world drives on the right, so left-hand drive vehicles dominate. Some island nations like the UK and Japan maintain the left-hand drive tradition, a legacy of samurai walking on the left for easier sword drawing. Honestly, once you're used to it, either side feels natural. On long trips, I find left-hand steering and gear shifting particularly intuitive.
