A steering damper comprises two oil chambers (R1, R2) delimited in a housing (1, 7) by a partitioning member (2,8), and a damping valve (2a, 2b) which imposes a drag on a flow of working oil between the two oil chambers (R1, R2). By further comprising an oil passage (5) connecting the two oil chambers (R1, R2), a pair of check valves (5a, 5b) which prevents oil flow from each of the two oil chambers (R1, R2) into the oil passage (5), and a bypass passage (6) connected to the oil passage (5) between the pair of check valves (5a, 5b) and having an opening that opens onto the interior of the housing (1) in the vicinity of the neutral position of the movable partitioning member (2,8), the steering damper enables the movable partitioning member (2,8) to return quickly towards the neutral position.