Quick Summary
- Around a third of the world's countries — including the UK, Japan, Australia, and India — drive on the left.
- The riskiest moments for new left-side drivers are pulling out of junctions and car parks, where old habits resurface fastest.
- Choosing an automatic rental car reduces mental load significantly while you adjust to the unfamiliar side of the road.
About a third of the world's countries drive on the left, and for travellers used to the right, this can be one of the biggest adjustments behind the wheel abroad. Knowing which countries drive on the left — and how to adapt safely — helps you stay confident and avoid dangerous mistakes. Here's a guide to the major left-driving countries.
The United Kingdom and Ireland
The UK and Ireland are the best-known left-driving countries. Expect frequent roundabouts, narrow rural lanes, and mostly manual rental cars. London adds the Congestion Charge and ULEZ to consider. An IDP helps if your licence isn't in English, and both countries reward cautious, defensive driving.
Expert Driving Tip: On your first day driving on the left, say 'stay left' out loud every time you approach a junction or roundabout — this verbal cue, used by many experienced expat drivers, interrupts the automatic muscle memory that causes wrong-side mistakes.
Japan
Japan drives on the left with excellent road infrastructure and disciplined traffic. It recognises the 1949 Geneva Convention IDP for up to a year. City rail is superb, so driving is mainly for rural exploration — where left-side driving on quieter roads is a gentle way to adjust.
Thailand and Southeast Asia
Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and several neighbours drive on the left. Traffic is often dense and motorbike-heavy, so left-side driving combines with a busy environment that demands focus. Thailand and Indonesia both expect foreign drivers to carry an IDP.
Australia and New Zealand
Australia and New Zealand drive on the left across vast, scenic landscapes. The big challenges are long distances, wildlife on rural roads, and — in New Zealand — winding routes and one-lane bridges. Both are superb road-trip destinations once you've adjusted to the left.
India, Pakistan, and South Asia
India, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh all drive on the left, often amid dense and assertive traffic. Left-side driving here comes with a busy road culture, so many visitors ease in gradually or hire drivers. An IDP is recognised and valuable across the region.
Southern and Eastern Africa
Many African countries drive on the left, including South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Botswana, Namibia, and others. Rural and safari routes often need a 4x4, and gravel roads call for reduced speed. Wildlife on roads is a real hazard, especially at dawn and dusk.
Tips for Adjusting to Left-Side Driving
Take it slow on your first day, and be most careful when pulling out of junctions, car parks, and after fuel stops — these are when habit can send you to the wrong side. Roundabouts run clockwise, so give way to the right. Consider an automatic rental to free up mental focus, and let a passenger help watch your positioning.
A Brief History of Left-Side Driving
Many left-driving countries inherited the practice through historical ties to Britain, which standardised left-side travel and exported it across its former territories. That's why the UK, much of South Asia, Southern and Eastern Africa, Australia, and others share the convention today, alongside Japan, which adopted it for its own historical reasons.
Understanding this helps explain the geographic pattern — and reassures travellers that left-side driving is a well-established, perfectly safe norm once you adjust.
Renting and Insurance Considerations
In left-driving countries, automatic rental cars can dramatically ease the mental load of adjusting, though they may cost more and need booking ahead. Check your rental insurance carefully, and in regions with many uninsured drivers — such as parts of Southern Africa — consider comprehensive cover. Carry your IDP and national licence together throughout.
Choosing the right vehicle and cover lets you focus on the road and the scenery rather than the paperwork.
Drive Confidently With DIA
Wherever you're driving on the left — the UK, Japan, Thailand, Australia, or beyond — Driving International Association (DIA) ensures your licence is recognised. DIA's IDP translates your national licence into the standardised international format, delivered digitally in 2 hours with a verifiable QR code. Adjusting to the left side of the road is enough to think about; with DIA, your documents are one less worry, leaving you free to focus on driving safely in an unfamiliar environment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: What is an International Driving Permit and do I need one?
An IDP is a multilingual translation of your driving licence recognised in 150+ countries. If you're driving abroad and your destination requires one, Driving International Association (DIA) delivers your IDP Digital Booklet in 2 hours from $21.
Q2: What is the difference between the IDP Digital Booklet and the NFC Smart Kit?
The IDP Digital Booklet is your official primary IDP delivered digitally in 2 hours, with a complimentary Digital Smart Card included. The NFC Smart Kit gives you the physical IDP Booklet with a complimentary physical Smart NFC Card — ideal for countries like Thailand and Japan that expect physical documentation.
Q3: How fast does Driving International Association deliver an IDP?
The IDP Digital Booklet (with complimentary Digital Smart Card) is delivered within 2 hours of payment. The physical NFC Smart Kit ships separately after digital delivery.
Q4: Is the Driving International Association IDP accepted internationally?
Driving International Association issues IDPs aligned with the 1949 Geneva and 1968 Vienna UN Conventions on Road Traffic — the international framework recognised by rental companies and transport authorities in 150+ countries.
Q5: How much does a Driving International Association IDP cost?
IDP Digital Booklet: $21 (1yr), $26 (2yr), $32 (3yr). NFC Smart Kit (physical IDP Booklet + complimentary Smart NFC Card): $32 (1yr), $37 (2yr), $42 (3yr). 100% money-back guarantee on all orders.
Q6: Does an IDP replace my driving licence?
No. The IDP Digital Booklet is a translation of your existing licence and must always be carried alongside it. Both documents are required when driving abroad.
Have questions? Chat with Driving International Association on WhatsApp — 24/7 →
