To drive in St. Maarten or St. Martin, all vacationers need is their valid home drivers license. This is the same for both the French and Dutch sides of the island. Vacationers driving on the island must exhibit a little bit of patience with the local livestock, as these animals are not afraid to take a pause right in the middle of the road. According to St. Maarten and St. Martin traffic law, cows have the right-of-way on the island. Tourist will have to sit and wait out these beasts, who often take their time crossing the road.
Driving is on the right-hand side of the road, like in most parts of North America, which may come as a pleasant surprise to many travelers visiting the island. The majority of driving rules are pretty basic, like keep your eyes on the road and obey traffic signs, which can most of the time be read in French, Dutch, and English. Travelers must remember that unlike most of North American, the road signs and speedometers on the island are in kilometers instead of miles.