<P> However the decision was controversial, with an estimated 18,000 people attending demonstrations against it in Apia in April 2008 and road signs reminding people of the change being vandalised . The motor industry was also opposed to the decision as 14,000 of Samoa's 18,000 vehicles were designed for right - hand driving and the government refused to meet the cost of conversion . Bus drivers whose doors would be on the wrong side of the road due to the change threatened to strike in protest of the change . </P> <P> In order to reduce accidents, the government widened roads, added new road markings, erected signs and installed speed humps . The speed limit was also reduced from 35 to 25 mph (56 to 40 km / h) and sales of alcohol were banned for three days . Prayers were said by the Congregational Christian Church of Samoa for an accident - free changeover and Samoa's Red Cross carried out a blood donation campaign in case of a surge of accidents . </P> <P> The change came into force following a radio announcement at 5.50 local time (16: 50 UTC) which halted traffic and an announcement at 6.00 (15: 00 UTC) for traffic to switch from the right to the left side of the road . Samoa thus became the first territory in nearly 40 years to change which side of the road is driven on - the previous most recent to change having been Nigeria, Ghana and Yemen . </P>

What side of the road does samoa drive on