Which side of the road
Trinidad and Tobago drives on the left, in right-hand-drive cars. If you come from a left-driving country this is familiar; if you don't, the first hour is the dangerous one — the instinct to turn into the wrong lane at an empty junction is strongest in your first twenty minutes. Do not plan a long drive straight off a flight. Overtake on the right. At a roundabout, give way to traffic already on it, coming from your right.
Speed limits
Limits here are set road by road rather than by a single national sign, and the changes are enforced. These are the limits set by the Ministry of Works and Transport under Legal Notices 152 and 153 of 2017, in force since 15 December 2017.
| Road | Limit |
|---|---|
| RoadBeetham Highway · Churchill–Roosevelt Highway · Uriah Butler Highway · Solomon Hochoy Highway (including the Debe extension) | Limit100 km/h |
| RoadAudrey Jeffers Freeway · Diego Martin Highway · the Valencia stretch of the Eastern Main Road · Reinzi–Kirton Highway · South Trunk Road extension | Limit80 km/h |
| RoadIn Tobago: Claude Noel Highway · Shirvan Road · Auchenskeoch–Buccoo Bay Road | Limit80 km/h |
| RoadEvery other road in Trinidad and Tobago | Limit50 km/h |
For a private car the general position is 100 km/h outside a built-up area and 50 km/h inside one, unless a lower sign is posted. Any road that is not specifically listed above carries a 50 km/h limit, so do not assume the highway limit follows you off the highway. Built-up areas are not always obvious — a village can begin without warning, and 50 through a village is not a suggestion.
Alcohol
The prescribed limit is 35 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, or 80 milligrammes per 100 millilitres of blood. A first conviction carries a fine of up to TT$12,000 and up to 3 years' imprisonment; a second up to TT$22,000 and up to 5 years, with disqualification following consecutive convictions. Refusing to provide a specimen without reasonable excuse is itself an offence, with the same exposure. One point that catches people out: you can be in charge of a vehicle without being in it — if you are holding the keys near the car, the law can treat you as in charge.
Our advice is simpler than the law: if you are driving, you don't drink. Trinidad's rum is very good and the penalties are not.
Seatbelts, phones and points
Seatbelt use is compulsory. Using a mobile phone while driving is regulated under the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic (Mobile Devices) Regulations, 2010. Trinidad and Tobago also operates a demerit-points system alongside fixed penalties, introduced through the 2017 amendments to the Act, so an offence can cost you money and points together. The police run fixed-penalty exercises and breathalyser roadblocks, and the TTPS publishes enforcement updates.
What actually catches visitors
- No turning on red. A red light means stop and stay stopped — there is no left-on-red or right-on-red rule here.
- Maxi taxis stop without much warning. They are the island's buses, they run fixed routes, and they pull over wherever a passenger raises a hand. Assume the maxi in front of you will brake at any moment.
- Potholes are a real hazard, especially after rain. Keep a bigger gap than you would at home, and don't swerve blindly to miss one.
- Flooding. The rainy season runs roughly June to December and low-lying roads flood fast. If water is across the road and you cannot see the bottom of it, turn around.
- Unlit vehicles and animals at night. On rural roads expect pedestrians in dark clothing, dogs, and the occasional cow. Drive slower at night than the limit.
- Roadworks and diversions are common on the main highways. Follow the signage rather than your map app.
- The horn is communication here, not aggression — a short tap means 'I'm here'. Don't take it personally, and use it on blind corners.
Staying safe
- Keep doors locked and windows up in slow traffic in Port of Spain and San Fernando.
- Don't leave anything visible on the seats — bags, phones, laptops. Put them in the boot before you park, not after.
- Park in lit, busy places, and avoid unlit coastal car parks after dark.
- At night, stick to main roads you already know rather than a shortcut you don't.
If something goes wrong
Emergency numbers: Police 999, Fire 990, Ambulance 811. If you are in a collision, stop, make sure everyone is safe, call the police, and call us on +1 868-271-9231 straight away — before you agree anything with the other driver. Do not admit liability at the roadside, even if you think you were at fault; that is what the report is for. If the vehicle is not driveable, stay with it if it is safe to do so and we will come to you.
Practical notes
- Carry your licence and your rental agreement. A foreign licence is accepted, as set out on our rental requirements page; if yours is not in English, bring an International Driving Permit alongside it.
- Fuel stations are frequent on the main roads and thin on the rural ones. Fill up before long drives to Manzanilla, Nariva or the north coast.
- Carry small cash — car parks, beaches and roadside food often don't take card.
- Only drivers named on the rental agreement may drive the car. That is an insurance condition, not a formality.
- Taking the car to Tobago is allowed, but it must be noted on your rental agreement before you sail — tell us when you book so the paperwork is right.
Official sources
- Ministry of Works and Transport — speed limits for major roads and highways (Legal Notices 152 and 153 of 2017)
- Legal Aid and Advisory Authority — driving under the influence: limits, procedure and penalties
- Trinidad and Tobago Police Service — emergency numbers and enforcement updates
Sources checked 3 November 2026. This page is general guidance for visitors, not legal advice: laws, penalties and enforcement do change, so follow road signs and current official notices, and ask us if you are unsure.