Left-hand traffic (LHT) and right-hand traffic (RHT) are fundamental practices in bidirectional traffic, dictating whether vehicles keep to the left or right side of the road, respectively. These rules are crucial for maintaining smooth traffic flow. While the terms "right- and left-hand drive" refer to the position of the driver and steering wheel in a vehicle, they are often the reverse of the traffic rule.
RHT is used in 165 countries and territories, predominantly in the Americas, Continental Europe, most of Africa, and mainland Asia (excluding South Asia and Thailand). Conversely, 75 countries use LHT, accounting for about a sixth of the world's land area, a quarter of its roads, and approximately a third of its population.
Historically, many places kept left, while many others kept right, often within the same country. There are many myths that attempt to explain why one or the other is preferred.
In LHT, traffic keeps left and cars usually have the steering wheel on the right (RHD: right-hand drive) and roundabouts circulate clockwise. In most countries, rail traffic follows the handedness of the roads; but many of the countries that switched road traffic from LHT to RHT did not switch their trains.
On Sunday, April 2, 1972, Nigeria transitioned from the British-styled right-hand drive to the left-hand drive system, aligning with the practices common among French, German, and American systems. At the time, Major-General Yakubu Gowon was the country’s Head of State.
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This article delves into the history and reasons behind Nigeria's significant decision to switch from right-hand to left-hand drive in 1972.
Countries driving on the left (blue) or right (orange).
Historical Context
In time past, almost everyone travelled on the left side of the road because that was the most sensible option for primitive societies. Howbeit, most people were right-handed and swordsmen preferred to keep to the left in order to have their right arm nearer to an opponent and their scabbard further from him. Also, a swordsman finds it easier to mount a horse from the left side of the horse, and it would be very difficult to do otherwise if wearing a sword (which would be worn on the left).
However, in the late 18th century, haulers in France and the United States began moving farm products in big wagons pulled by several pairs of horses. These wagons had no driver’s seat; instead the driver sat on the left rear horse, so he could keep his right arm free to lash the team. Since he was sitting on the left, he naturally wanted everybody to pass on the left so he could look down and make sure he kept clear of the oncoming wagon’s wheels.
The French Revolution of 1789 gave huge popularity to right-hand drive in Europe. The fact is, before the Revolution, the upper classes travelled on the left of the road, forcing the lower classes over to the right, but after the Revolution, to save themselves from the guillotine (an execution method in France), they kept a low profile and joined the lower classes on the right. In the early 1800s, the French Emperor, Napoleon Bonaparte conquered much of Europe (Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Germany, Poland, and many parts of Spain and Italy) and enforced the new rule there.
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Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte of France, (August 15, 1769 - May 5, 1821)
With the expansion of travel and road building in the 1800s, traffic regulations were made in every country. This is why to this very day, India, Australia, New Zealand, and former British colonies in Africa, mainly East and Southern Africa, navigate left. Though Japan was never part of the British Empire, its traffic also goes to the left. However, it did not become a law until 1924.
In the New World, the early years of English colonisation of North America continued with the English driving customs and the colonies drove on the left. After gaining independence in 1776, the United States was anxious to cast off all remaining links with their British colonial past and gradually changed to right-hand driving. This was also made possible through the influence of other European immigrants, especially the French.
Meanwhile, the power of the right-hand drive kept growing steadily. American cars were designed to be driven on the right by locating the drivers’ controls on the vehicle’s left side. In Asia, China changed to right-hand traffic in 1946. Korea now drives right, but only because it passed directly from Japanese colonial rule to American and Russian influence at the end of the Second World War.
Reasons for the Switch
Proponents of Nigeria’s change to the left-hand drive have argued that it was to break ties with its colonial master, the story runs deeper than that. In the same vein, antagonists and critics of the policy believe it was because of Western imperialism. Several factors influenced the decision:
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- Regional Alignment: Nigeria was surrounded by countries with French colonial history that had always been on the right-hand drive; the Republic of Benin, Cameroon, Niger, and Chad. Their drivers used Nigeria’s ports and borders, while Nigerian drivers delivered goods to those countries with much confusion. It made much sense to make that change. So, if you wanted to drive from Lagos (Nigeria) to Lome (Togo), you had to learn to drive on the opposite side of the road. Changing to the left simply made the journey easy. That was why Ghana had to change as well.
- Vehicle Availability: Most cheap and affordable cars in vogue then were made in France (Renault, Peugeot) and Germany (Volkswagen) which were designed for right-hand drive roads. It would be an expensive process to convert them.
- Global Trends: The left-hand drive is used in 165 countries and territories, with the remaining 74 countries and territories using the right-hand drive.
Challenges and Preparations
The transition was not without its challenges. For one thing, a high cost was associated with converting Nigeria's entire vehicle fleet, including buses, taxis, and personal cars, to left-hand drive. This was a financial burden that fell largely on the shoulders of ordinary Nigerians, many of whom struggled to make ends meet.
Nigeria started giving serious consideration to changing from left to right in 1969. From then on, much effort was put forth to achieve the aim. On January 30, 1970, the Federal government set up the National Commission for Right-Hand Traffic. Consideration was also given to the road. Some of the existing highways had to be reconstructed for the changeover. New road signs for right-hand traffic were provided.
To facilitate the change, the Federal Ministry of Information launched a comprehensive public education campaign. This included:
- Utilizing press, radio, and television
- Distributing posters, handbills, booklets, and car stickers
- Creating a new highway code
- Displaying billboards and banners
- Sending cinerovers (mobile film vans) to tour the country
- Conducting rehearsals in some states to familiarize people with the new traffic procedure
All preparations cost the nation about LN3 million ($9,000,000).
There were also concerns about the potential impact on Nigeria's auto industry, which was primarily focused on producing right-hand drive vehicles for the domestic market. To address these concerns, the Nigerian government incentivised local car manufacturers to switch to left-hand drive production and allowed for a period of transition during which right-hand drive vehicles could still be used on the roads.
The Changeover Day
AT SIX o’clock Sunday morning all traffic on Nigerian roads moved from the left side to the right. The time had been carefully selected well in advance. The day of the change was Sunday and the next day was a public holiday, providing two days of reduced traffic flow. The speed limit within all towns was also restricted to twenty miles per hour, and a large corps of the traffic control wardens and policemen was organized to direct the traffic. All traffic had come to a standstill on the left side of the road at midnight to provide a “cooling off” period.
As the hour for the change approached, there was a murmur of excitement among the crowds. the waiting vehicles slowly crept from their parking positions and followed each other, nose to tail, out from the left, across the white median line of the road to the right-hand side. The crowds erupted into cheers. Since the traffic was not heavy during the first two days of the changeover, everything was comparatively smooth. However, on Tuesday, in Lagos city, traffic was brought to a standstill.
Mr. Femi Okunnu, the Federal Commissioner for Works, explained that “the statutory limitation of Vehicular speed to 20 miles per hour . . . was bound to slow down the normal flow of traffic.” Furthermore, he said: “Many motorists . . . had refused to take advantage of the Easter holidays in test driving on the right so as to familiarize themselves with their new routes.
Impact and Results
There is an interesting result of the changeover. Whereas death resulting from road accidents had increased by 54.4 percent in April 1971, compared with the corresponding month in 1970, it decreased by 77.6 percent in April 1972, the first month of the changeover. Also, motor accidents decreased by 55.8 percent, compared with the corresponding month in 1971.
If traffic holdup was the only major inconvenience resulting from the changeover, in view of the hundreds of lives that were saved, it could be said that the changeover was very successful. In retrospect, it must be admitted that the decision to change over was a bold one. Carrying it through involved overcoming many serious problems.
In October 1961, there was a meeting of the West African Transport Conference in Monrovia and an agreement was made that traffic control among West African countries be standardized. In keeping with this, traffic in Nigeria moved from left to right on April 2, 1972. In doing this, it was believed that economic ties with other West African nations would be strengthened. For example, among Nigeria’s neighboring countries traffic is on the right.
To further facilitate trade among African countries, preparation is now being made to construct a Trans-African highway from Nigeria to Kenya, covering approximately 4,400 miles. A proposition has also been made to construct a Trans-West African highway from Nigeria to Senegal.
Throughout the world, as in Africa, only a minority of countries still drive on the left, and many of these countries are seriously considering changing over to driving on the right. Most car-manufacturing countries drive on the right and manufacture mainly left-hand-drive cars. With more countries considering a switchover to driving on the right, the time is anticipated when the giant motor companies of the world would not find it worth while to continue to produce vehicles built for left-hand traffic.
There is no gainsaying that the switch has been a successful one.
Countries with left- and right-hand traffic, currently and formerly:
| Traffic Side | Countries |
|---|---|
| Right-Hand Traffic (RHT) | Americas, Continental Europe, most of Africa, mainland Asia (except South Asia and Thailand) |
| Left-Hand Traffic (LHT) | India, Australia, New Zealand, former British colonies in Africa, Japan |
Nigeria’s Historic Transition From Left-Hand To Right-Hand Driving.
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