rule of the road

Definitions

1. The regulation requiring all traffic (travelling on a road or otherwise) to keep either to the left or the right.
   uncountable
2. A regulation concerning safe handling of vessels on seaways.
   uncountable

Examples

“The general rule⟳ of the road for steamers is precisely the same as the general rule⟳ of the pavement for foot passengers in London […]”

“Hence in Japan the influential samurai warriors habitually kept to the left while walking or riding. Their example influenced other travellers and resulted in the modern rule⟳ of the road in Japan: keep⟳ left.”

“The Liverpool and Manchester railway, the first steam-operated passenger railway, which opened in 1830, adopted the British rule⟳ of the road, with trains passing each other on the left.”

CEFR level