Dagen H  (H-day), today usually called

Dagen H - Wikipedia

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2022-06-21 13:30:08

Dagen H (H-day), today usually called "Högertrafikomläggningen " (lit.  'the right-hand traffic reorganisation'), was 3 September 1967, the day Sweden switched from driving on the left-hand side of the road to the right.[1] The "H" stands for "Högertrafik", the Swedish word for right-hand traffic. It was by far the largest logistical event in Sweden's history.[2]

However, the change was unpopular; in a 1955 referendum, 83 percent voted to keep driving on the left. Nevertheless, the Swedish Parliament approved Prime Minister Tage Erlander's proposal on 10 May 1963 of right hand traffic beginning in 1967, as the number of cars on the road tripled from 500,000 to 1.5 million and was expected to reach 2.8 million by 1975.[6] The Statens Högertrafikkommission (HTK) ("the state right-hand traffic commission") was established to oversee the change.[7] It also began implementing a four-year education programme on the advice of psychologists.[4]

The campaign included displaying the Dagen H logo on various commemorative items, including milk cartons and underwear.[4][8] Swedish television held a contest for songs about the change, and the winning entry was "Håll dig till höger, Svensson" ('Keep to the right, Svensson') written by Expressen journalist Peter Himmelstrand[1] and performed by The Telstars.[9]

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