Samoan motorists switch to driving on the left

Samoan motorists switch to driving on the left: "Yesterday (Sept 7), Samoa's drivers switched from driving on the right to driving on the left. I've had Swedish friends recount the thrilling tale of .se's change, which involved midnight road-crews changing signs and repainting road-markers, and morning radio DJs exhorting all and sundry to remember to change over. The Samoans are changing over thanks to Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi who believes that this will save motorists money by allowing them to import cars from (relatively) nearby Australia and New Zealand.

The government has run a months-long campaign to educate drivers, and designated a practice lot. Monday and Tuesday have also been declared public holidays to get drivers used to the change, Hunter said.

'But it's when everybody goes back to work on Wednesday, that's the worry,' he added.

Samoa and its closest neighbor, American Samoa, have been driving on the right side of the road since German occupation between 1900-1914.

Outcry as Samoa motorists prepare to drive on left