Primary school

What is traffic and what is your role?

Traffic is everywhere around you on Sint Maarten! It is all the movement of people and vehicles on roads, paths and squares. Just think about what you see on your way to school in the morning: cars driving to work, trucks transporting goods to a construction site, cyclists out for a ride, and pedestrians taking a walk along the waterfront in Philipsburg.

On Sint Maarten we have many different types of traffic. There are large trucks delivering supplies, tourists in rental cars heading to the beach at Maho or Orient Bay, people doing their grocery shopping, and children just like you cycling to school. Even the ferry that takes people to St. Barths and Anguilla is part of the traffic on our island!

As a student in grade 7 you have different roles in traffic. Most of the time you are a pedestrian. For example, you walk from home to the sports fields, or from school to your friends in the neighborhood. As a pedestrian you need to pay close attention to where you are walking and always use pedestrian crossings.

You are also often a cyclist. Maybe you cycle to school every day or to the store for your parents. On a bicycle you are faster than on foot, but also more vulnerable. You share the road with cars, especially on the main roads like Bush Road or the Walter Nisbeth Road in Philipsburg.

Lately we are seeing more and more fat bikes on Sint Maarten — those electric bicycles with thick tires that can go quite fast. Fat bikes have become popular, especially among young people, because you can easily ride them on the beach and on unpaved roads. But be careful: fat bikes can reach speeds of 25 kilometers per hour or more, making them almost as fast as some scooters! This means you need to be extra careful and think carefully about where and how fast you ride.

A big danger we are seeing more and more often is cyclists using their phone while riding. Whether it is to send a message, change the music, or take a photo of the beautiful sunset over Simpson Bay — using your phone while cycling is life-threatening! Your attention is taken away from the traffic around you. You don't see that car pulling out, you don't hear that horn, and you notice that iguana on the road too late. Especially on a fat bike, which goes so fast, one second of inattention can be fatal.

Sometimes you are a passenger in a car. For example, you and your family drive to the beach at Cupecoy, or you take a ride to the French side to visit Grand Case. Even though you are not driving yourself, as a passenger you still have responsibilities!

What makes traffic on Sint Maarten special is that we also need to watch out for animals. Iguanas sometimes cross the road, especially in warmer weather, and you may also encounter goats and chickens on the road in some neighborhoods.

All these different road users have to share our roads together. That is why there are traffic rules: to make sure that everyone can travel safely and smoothly. By knowing and following the rules, you help keep traffic on Sint Maarten safe for everyone — from the smallest pedestrian to the largest truck!