In Samoa, Drivers Switch to Left Side of the Road

By Richard S. Chang

If you thought it was tough going back to work this morning, imagine having the added mental burden of suddenly learning to drive on the opposite side of the road.

That’s what will happen Wednesday when the citizens of Samoa return to work after a two-day holiday, imposed for the sole purpose of helping the country switch from driving on the right side of the road to driving on the left.

The switch officially began Monday at 6 a.m. This is from The Associated Press:

As the 6 a.m. deadline approached, Police Minister Toleafoa Faafisi went on national radio to tell drivers everywhere to stop their vehicles. Minutes later, Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi broadcast the formal instructions for drivers to switch sides.

When drivers resumed their journeys, horns honked, sirens wailed and church bells rang. While there was some hesitation, traffic soon flowed again with guidance from police as hundreds of onlookers who lined streets in the capital, Apia, clapped and cheered.

Samoa is the first country in 40 years to switch driving sides. One reason is that Australia and New Zealand drive on the left, and it is cheaper to import cars from those countries than from the United States and Europe.

Cars in Australia and New Zealand have their steering wheels on the right side of the car, as in Britain. For now, the Samoan government will allow cars with steering wheels on either side. The bigger issue concerns the country’s buses, whose doors are mounted on the right side, which means passengers have to board from the middle of the street.

Interestingly enough, almost 42 years ago to the day, Sweden did the same thing, except it went from the left to the right — and spent around $120 million (not adjusted) on signs and advertising to market the switch.

There was even an official name. It was called Dagen H, or H Day (the H stood for hogen, which means “right” in Swedish). From Time magazine:

Once Parliament decided to switch, Swedish bureaucracy mobilized with terrifying efficiency. Psychologists made studies of drivers and pedestrians; traffic engineers surveyed Sweden’s 70,000 miles of roadway from Malmo to remotest Lapland. Thousands of new signs and traffic lights were ordered and every home, hospital and prison received manuals detailing the 107 basic European road symbols that would replace the helter-skelter Swedish markers. To make sure foreign workers and visitors got the message, the Commission on Right-Hand Traffic printed pamphlets in nine languages from Portuguese to Serbo-Croatian.

In the final, frenetic days before H-day, the new system was explained in the press, demonstrated on film, discussed on radio and TV, and extolled by singing commercials. Stockholm’s N.K. department store reported a run on men’s shorts emblazoned with a big H, and milk containers sprouted slogans like, “Smile a little in the right-hand traffic. We are all beginners.”

This photo shows a town in Sweden during the switchover on Sept. 3, 1967. And despite the visible mess, there were no serious accidents and only a couple of minor fender benders.

Comments are no longer being accepted.

Professor N. MaryAnn September 8, 2009 · 1:24 pm

Over TWO-THIRDS of the world drives with LEFT HANDED DRIVE Vehicles. Over 2/3 of countries have RIGHT HANDED TRAFFIC including the United States, CHINA, most of the EURO Zone. Notable exceptions are India, Japan and Great Britain.

In recent memory, most countries have converted to RIGHT HANDED TRAFFIC rather than LEFT like in Samoa, including Sweden, Iceland, Korea and Tawian. Changing traffic patterns is dangerous with risk of life and limb and expensive with change in signs and infrastructure.

I believe SAMOA is changing not b/c of cheap New Zealand Auto manufacturers(–Is there such a thing?) but rather the sclerotic and overregulated Japanese used vehicle market. It helps that it is an isolated island nation. America is losing its influence and status also out here in the remote Pacific.

D T Nelson September 8, 2009 · 3:36 pm

As I recall, when Sweden made the switch, they had the moment of switching occur during the day — noon, I think. They did that so people would have to physically make the change, to reinforce it in their minds. With Samoa’s choice of 6 .a.m, a man could wake up, run out to the car, and forget that he needed to drive on the other side today.

I remember Life magazine reporting on the Swedish change by running a three-photo sequence of a busy roadway, first showing cars driving on the left side of the road, then all the cars in various stages of crossing the center line, then all the cars driving on the right side of the road.

D T Nelson September 8, 2009 · 3:39 pm

Okay, if I had read the linked Time article first, I would have known it was five, not noon. Sorry.

Ian Thompson September 8, 2009 · 3:42 pm

What may not be realized is that we Brits began the ‘drive on the left’ pattern because it left your sword hand free to battle oncoming horsemen if required. This would still be useful in parts of East LA if the Americans drove on the left.

As regards the claim that ‘2/3rds drive on the right’ – I’d like to see the statistics to back that up.

Justin@ SanDiego September 8, 2009 · 4:30 pm

Re: Ian @4

Here you go my English Friend:

//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right-_and_left-hand_traffic

thesceptic September 8, 2009 · 4:32 pm

well, 2/3 of countries vs 2/3 of people is all relative.

to claim that india drives on the left is absurd. or, to put it more accurately, india drives on the left, indians drive on whichever side they feel like!

and, before you guys flame me, i am Indian, and proud of it.

John R. Grout September 8, 2009 · 4:41 pm

The Swedes used to drive on the left with European-model
cars whose steering wheels were on the right: their switch
undoubtedly made their country a safer place to drive.

Since Sweden did not switch their railways, the Öresund
Link connecting Denmark and Sweden has a rail crossover
in it to make trains going from Denmark to Sweden come out
on the left track and trains going from Sweden to Denmark come out on the right track.

Herr Bookmonger September 8, 2009 · 4:49 pm

I was curious, and looked it up. The article itself was a bit on the dry side, but the accompanying illustration somewhat shockingly makes the whole thing vividly clear.

The illustration: //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Countries_driving_on_the_left_or_right.svg

The article itself: //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right-_and_left-hand_traffic

“… today about 66% of the world’s people live in right-hand traffic countries and 34% in left-hand traffic countries. About 72% of the world’s total road distance carries traffic on the right, and 28% on the left.”

thesceptic September 8, 2009 · 4:52 pm

ian, and all others who, like me, have nothing better to do with their time…

have a look at
//www.brianlucas.ca/roadside/

and, yes, ian, his numbers reinforce 2/3 on the wrong side…

unless the world is inspired by samoa and starts a new trend.

Frank, Brisbane Australia September 8, 2009 · 5:58 pm

Personally I don’t think driving on either side of the road matters, it is just the uniformity makes it hell on pedestrians.

Gulfbridge September 8, 2009 · 8:45 pm

Actually prof., most of the vehicles imported will come from Australia and New Zealand because they will be used vehicles bought there by relatives of islanders who have migrated there, and will be sent over as gifts, in keeping with the Pacific island culture of the extended family. It is possible some Japanese vehicles may turn up but the costs involved would work against it. No government would undertake such a major shift without good reason. In this case more islanders getting vehicles for free as more of their Australian/New Zealand relatives can afford it.

warfrat September 8, 2009 · 9:31 pm

I seem to remember that in Sweden there was NO driving for 2 days, giving the work crews time to change the signs, bus stops, etc, & allowing emergency vehicles the whole road to practice for a day. I think the public actually started driving on the third day, & the results were very orderly, with no accidents for several days. I lived in Copenhagen then, & it was a source of some amusement to the Danes to watch the Swedes driving off the ferry from Malmo (before the switch) & quickly adapt to the other side of the street!

Shaun September 8, 2009 · 9:43 pm

Fascinating article. After driving over roads, both on the left and the right, once you get used to it, either is just as easy. Except when you drive predominantly on the right, then you make a switch to the left. Then, you have to be especially aware when turning, It would be nice if we were on one standard, though.

Christine K. September 8, 2009 · 9:59 pm

I guess the real test comes during Wednesday’s morning commute. We’ll see how many fender benders there are when that comes about. I still can’t believe it went over just like that after all the money spent on new signs.

Ric , IA September 8, 2009 · 10:35 pm

I recall a news item in Road & Track’s People & Places section years ago mentioning that an Eastern Bloc country (can’t recall which one or whether it was l to r or r to l) was making a similar transition but in stages with commercial vehicles switching first with passenger cars to switch at a later date. R & T’s comment was “Must be a CIA agent in there someplace!”

Godot September 8, 2009 · 10:44 pm

To comment #1: America lost its status and influence in many parts of the world ages ago. I’m always blown away by the vacuity of anyone from anywhere responding to a subject with an ego-centric, in this case nationalistic, cast. Can you for one minute see this has nothing to do with American influence?

To comment #6: Ah, levity and observational humour. Now that’s more like it folks!

Now try driving in Singapore, where meandering is a better descriptor, the lines painted prettily on the roads have no bearing on bearing, and where “signages” are bulls-eyes and pedestrians are trepidatious.

There is no right side to what is left of this topic. The only improvement would be driving anywhere you damn well please. That would reduce both the population and the number of cars fouling our air, both of which are sorely needed.

SY COHEN September 8, 2009 · 11:17 pm

The major difference in the Swedish switchover from left to right was that most Swedish vehicles already had the steering wheel on the left.

John September 9, 2009 · 12:03 am

If China switched to the left (no pun intended), I think the stats for people driving on the left would swing remarkably in favour of the left-hand side of the road.

However, that is by-the-by, if anyone has been to China, you’ll soon find out that sticking to one side of the road is an alien concept to them. I am seriously not joking here. Chinese drivers drive on the left, center, and right or even the footpaths if they could fit. I even saw cars drive right in front of oncoming police cars, before pulling back to the right! The funny thing is that the police just kept on going!

Michael in LA September 9, 2009 · 12:08 am

Well Ian (#4) – I work and drive in East Los Angeles every day. I feel safer there than in many parts of East London and Brixton when I go to visit my in-laws.

Thanks for the slight – why do get the feeling that you’ve never been to Los Angeles, at least east of the river?

stevenz September 9, 2009 · 12:36 am

So professor, this is all about US hegemony? Really??

Nicholas, Oakland CA September 9, 2009 · 1:18 am

I don’t know if an audio link is out there — anyone? — but when I lived in great britain at the time of the switch from ‘european community’ to the more regulated ‘european union’ there was a typically laconic April First spoof BBC news radio broadcast about traffic in the UK switching from the right side of the road to the (left) european standard. “British drivers are advised not to worry,” the item concluded, “as the change will be phased in slowly.”

Betil Petersson September 9, 2009 · 1:48 am

Pleeeeaaase, get your facts straight, and your spelling! In Swedish it is :höger” for “right”, with the dots over the “o” and I am sure if you had checked the story it would be in there. This is the NY TImes after all, not the Houston Chronicle..

Betil Petersson September 9, 2009 · 2:00 am

In addition, the town called Malmo is actually Malmö, and I am sure PCs have a Swedish keyboard. The photo from “a town in Sweden” is actually Kungsgatan in the middle of Stockholm at the precise hour of 5am at the switchover, thus the perceived confusion. And the department store is NK an abbreviation for Nordiska Kompaniet, but not N.K.

As far as the concept was concerned, the overwhelming majority of people in Europe drive on the right side so it make sense to us..

Dominik Jacobs September 9, 2009 · 2:08 am

“One reason is because Australia and New Zealand, drive on the left, and it is cheaper to import cars from those countries than from the United States and Europe.”

I once was taught that any “reason is *that,*” never *because.*
Also, why in the world is there a comma after “Zealand?”

Is this a new “anything-goes” English adopted by the NYT, is it some kind of syntactical affirmative action for authors with non-English surnames, or is this an attempt to appeal to the many in the blogosphere who never made it past third-grade spelling?

I doubt this kind of writing would make it into the print version of the NYT. If it does, though, it will be reminiscent of the Los Angeles Times, which “simplified” its vocabulary and grammar years ago in response to competition from “La Opinion.” The latter, on the other hand, never stooped down to the level of Spanglish.

Both Spanish and English are incredibly beautiful languages. We ought to handle them with care, so that their beauty may survive us.

Unindicted Co-Conspirator September 9, 2009 · 7:41 am

And the Chicago & Northwestern Ry always ran lefthanded & it still does even after being taken over by the Union Pacific in 1995.
It’s always fun to see someone running for the commuter train on the wrong platform & having to run even more to go around to the other side to try to catch the train!