Indonesia is one of the many countries where vehicles drive on the left side of the road, a system often associated with former British colonies. Yet, unlike countries such as India, Malaysia, or Australia, Indonesia was primarily colonized by the Dutch.
This naturally raises the question: why does Indonesia follow a left-hand driving system when the Netherlands and most of continental Europe drive on the right? The answer lies in a mix of colonial legacy, pre-existing transportation practices, and the persistence of historical norms.
The Dutch East Indies and Its Left-Hand Travel Traditions
To understand Indonesia’s driving system, we need to revisit the era of the Dutch East Indies, which lasted from the early 17th century until Indonesia’s independence in the mid-20th century. While the Netherlands today drives on the right, it wasn’t always the case.
In fact, during the early years of Dutch colonial expansion, the Dutch themselves followed left-hand traffic in both the Netherlands and their overseas territories.
In the 1600s and 1700s, left-side travel was common across much of Europe, a remnant of feudal and medieval customs.
People generally traveled on the left so they could use their right hand for greeting, defense, or combat, most people being right-handed. This practice was carried over into Dutch colonies, including Indonesia.
While the Netherlands officially switched to right-hand driving in the 20th century to align with its neighbors, this change was not enforced in its distant colonies.
As a result, left-hand traffic remained the standard in the Dutch East Indies, long after the metropole had changed its own rules.
Dutch colonial authorities maintained the system throughout their rule in Indonesia, and there was little incentive to change it even as other nations adopted new norms.
The Role of Japanese Occupation
The Japanese occupation of Indonesia from 1942 to 1945 also played a role in reinforcing left-hand traffic.
Japan, which itself drives on the left, imposed its own traffic rules during the occupation period. This included reinforcing the use of left-hand traffic in major cities and rural areas.
Rather than reversing or replacing the existing system, Japanese authorities simply built upon it. They reorganized road signage, military vehicle traffic, and civilian transportation around the left-hand system.
When the Dutch returned after World War II, the transportation infrastructure had already been firmly structured around left-side driving, and changing it would have been expensive and disruptive.
After Indonesia declared independence in 1945, there were more pressing national issues to address than altering the driving orientation of millions of people.
The left-hand system remained in place and gradually became institutionalized through national traffic laws and vehicle manufacturing standards.
Market Practicalities
Another reason the left-hand driving system has endured in Indonesia is due to the vehicle market itself. Indonesia imports a significant portion of its vehicles from countries that also drive on the left, especially Japan.
Japanese car manufacturers, who dominate the Indonesian auto market, produce vehicles with right-hand steering wheels designed for countries with left-hand traffic.
This consistency in vehicle design and road orientation has supported the continuation of left-side driving. Changing the driving system would require massive adjustments to infrastructure, vehicle standards, and driver education programs.
Such a huge shift would be logistically difficult and economically burdensome, with little practical benefit. So, maintaining driving on the left is considered to be more practical.
Legal Codification
By the time Indonesia gained full sovereignty and began to standardize its national institutions, left-hand driving was already deeply embedded in daily life.
Roads were constructed with that orientation in mind, public transportation systems were adapted accordingly, and generations of drivers were trained in the left-hand system.
Indonesia’s government codified this into law, enshrining left-hand traffic in national legislation. Today, any move to reverse the system would entail a sweeping overhaul of the country's entire transportation framework, something few governments would willingly attempt.
