Whatever you read here, rest assured: driving on St. Maarten / St. Martin is straightforward. The quirk is that the two sides of the island never aligned their traffic laws — the French side follows European Community rules, the Dutch side its own Caribbean-Kingdom variation.
Right of way
On the French side, traffic from the right has the right of way unless signs say otherwise — but the signage is inconsistent, so courtesy fills the gap. On the Dutch side, a turning car always yields unless indicated otherwise.
Local drivers are genuinely courteous. Make your intention clear and someone will wave you in. Rental plates on the Dutch side start with an 'R', and far from being a risk, it means locals will cut you slack while you find your bearings.
Speed limits
- Dutch side: 50 km/h (about 31 mph).
- French side: up to 70 km/h (about 45 mph) on a few roads outside towns.
- There are essentially no radar speed traps, and in the busy season traffic is too heavy to speed anyway.
The biggest favor you can do yourself and others is to return the courtesies shown to you. Let a car out of a driveway and you'll get a friendly 'beep' of thanks.
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