Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad and Tobago is a developing nation in the Caribbean composed of two islands. The islands gained independence from the British in 1962. The country is one of the most prosperous in the Caribbean, largely as a result of petroleum and natural gas reserves. The majority of tourist travel is to the smaller of the two islands, Tobago. Tourist facilities are available on both islands. Read the Department of State Fact Sheet on Trinidad and Tobago for additional information on U.S. and Trinidad and Tobago relations.

Transportation

TRAFFIC SAFETY AND ROAD CONDITIONS: While in a foreign country, you may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States. The information below concerning Trinidad and Tobago is provided for general reference only. It is against the law in Trinidad and Tobago to use mobile phones while driving, except in "hands-free" mode. The penalty for talking or texting while driving is USD$240 or three months imprisonment. Trinidad and Tobago police administer breathalyzer tests at unannounced checkpoints and conduct traffic stops when driving under the influence is suspected. The threshold for DUI is very low, and penalties are stiff and may include imprisonment and steep fines.

Traffic moves on the left in Trinidad and Tobago. Most vehicles are right-hand drive, but left-hand drive vehicles are permitted. Rental cars are available, and are generally right-hand drive. A U.S. driver's license and/or an International Driving Permit are valid for up to 90 days after arrival. Seatbelts are required for drivers and front seat passengers, and cars may be pulled over and drivers fined for not wearing seatbelts.

Trinidad has  good four-lane highways and one controlled-access highway. However, road quality decreases quickly on secondary roads. Rural roads are narrow and often have deep drainage ditches on either side. Many are in poor repair, and are frequently congested. Night travel should be avoided other than on major highways. Roadside assistance exists, but is limited and may be subject to lengthy delays. The Beetham Highway, a main thoroughfare in and out of the city, is dangerous if your vehicle has broken down. If your vehicle is still drivable you should get out of the area before seeking help. On the Beetham stretch, there are regular incidents of persons running out into the road or throwing debris at cars - including masonry bricks - for the purpose of causing accidents and forcing cars to stop. A group of accomplices then descends upon the accident victims, robbing them of valuables, and often violently assaulting them, even if they are compliant.

Elsewhere in Port of Spain, especially in Laventille, a growing number of "bump and rob" incidents have been reported, in which the perpetrator rear-ends the victim, often causing only minor damage. When victims emerge from their car, they are then robbed of valuables, and possibly even their cars. Some of these incidents have turned fatal, even when the victims were compliant. If you are involved in an accident in Laventille or on the Beetham Highway, and your car still drives, you should get out of the area and get to a safe location before seeking help or assistance.

Trinidadian drivers may use hand signals to indicate turning, stopping, or slowing, which do not necessarily correspond to hand signals used in the United States. Trinidadian drivers are generally courteous, but can be flexible with the rules of the road. For example, unmarked taxis and “maxi taxis” make frequent, rapid stops in the middle of the roadway or veer across several lanes of traffic to pick up or drop off passengers. It is also common for drivers to cut across oncoming traffic to park on the opposite side of the street. Visitors need to be attentive and alert. Intoxicated drivers on the road are a particular concern on the weekends, especially after dark when many people are going to or returning from social events. Drivers should take extra precaution on narrow and winding roads leading in and out of beach areas and small towns in Trinidad and Tobago. As always, defensive driving is strongly encouraged.

Please refer to our Road Safety page for more information. The Ministry of Works and Infrastructure is responsible for road safety in Trinidad and Tobago.  We also suggest that you visit the website of Trinidad and Tobago’s Ministry of Tourism.

Vehicle Accident Procedures: For cases, in which there is major damage or any injuries, contact local authorities immediately. If it is safe to do so, render aid or assistance and remain on the scene until authorities arrive. 

AVIATION SAFETY OVERSIGHT: The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has assessed the government of Trinidad and Tobago’s Civil Aviation Authority as being in compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aviation safety standards for oversight of Trinidad and Tobago’s air carrier operations.  Further information may be found on the FAA’s safety assessment page.

MARINE SAFETY AND OVERSIGHT: Visitors arriving in Trinidad and Tobago aboard a private vessel must register any firearms with local customs authorities. Failure to declare firearms or making false customs declarations is a serious offense. U.S. citizens have been jailed and fined for possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition, attempting to export ammunition, making false customs declarations, and not declaring their firearms.

There is a small community of private boat owners who stay in Trinidad temporarily during the hurricane season. There have been incidents in which vessels were boarded and the occupants assaulted and robbed. Sailors should report any incidents to the Coast Guard and local police, and are encouraged to check with the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard and yacht facility managers for current information.

Safety and Security

When visiting or residing in Trinidad and Tobago, you should avoid large crowds and demonstrations. While non-violent demonstrations occur on occasion, widespread civil disorder is not typical. You should also exercise caution when visiting or residing in Port of Spain, especially in crowded urban areas.

To stay connected:

• Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program so we can keep you up to date with important safety and security announcements.
• Follow the Bureau of Consular Affairs on Twitter and Facebook.
• Bookmark the Bureau of Consular Affairs website, which contains the current Travel Warnings and Travel Alerts as well as the Worldwide Caution.
• Follow the U.S. Embassy in Trinidad and Tobago on Twitter and visiting the Embassy’s website.
• In the event of an emergency, contact us at 1-888-407-4747 toll-free within the United States and Canada, or via a regular toll line, 1-202-501-4444, from other countries.
• ·         Take some time before traveling to consider your personal security and checking for useful tips for traveling safely abroad.

CRIME: Violent crime remains high on both islands and affects local and expatriate communities as well as tourists. You should exercise caution and good judgment. Be particularly cautious when traveling after dark from Trinidad’s Piarco Airport as incidents have been reported in the past involving armed robbers trailing arriving passengers from the airport and accosting them in remote areas of the airport parking lot, on the highway leading from the airport to downtown Port of Spain, and outside the gates of residences. Areas in the Port of Spain metro area to avoid include Laventille, Morvant, Sea Lots, Beetham, the interior of the Queen’s Park Savannah, South Belmont, and Cocorite. Visitors should avoid the following areas after dark: scenic rest stops and public parks including Fort George, downtown Port of Spain, the interior and perimeter of Queen’s Park Savanah, and all beaches. Tourists are particularly vulnerable to pick-pocketing and armed assaults in these locations. Holiday periods, especially Christmas and Carnival, often see an increase in criminal activity.

Violent crimes, including assault, kidnapping for ransom, sexual assault, and murder have involved expatriate residents and tourists, including U.S. citizens. The perpetrators of many of these crimes have not been arrested. It is highly recommended that female visitors and residents avoid traveling alone, particularly at night or in secluded areas. 

Burglaries of private residences are common. Robbery is a risk, particularly in urban areas and especially near ATMs and shopping malls. You should avoid wearing expensive jewelry, riding in flashy cars, or displaying large amounts of money in public. In some cases, robberies of Americans have turned violent and resulted in injuries after the victim resisted handing over valuables. Visitors and residents are encouraged to seek out accommodation with hardened security doors, strong locks, grilles, and alarms.

When riding in a vehicle, always be sure to have your windows up and doors locked. On more than one occasion, U.S. citizens have been approached in their vehicles by people attempting to attain rides to nearby areas despite the short, walkable distance and availability of public transportation. It is highly advisable to avoid offering rides to people you do not know.

In Tobago, violent crime is an issue, including attacks on expatriate residents and tourists in their residences, many of which involve the use of machetes. There have been reports of home invasions in the Mt. Irvine/Buccoo Bay, and Bacolet areas, and robberies occurring at the waterfalls and on isolated beaches in Tobago where visitors are not in a group. If you rent a villa or private home, the Embassy urges you to ensure adequate, 24-hour security measures are in place. Visitors residing at these facilities have encountered intruders in the middle of the night who entered their rented, private residences with copied sets of the actual keys.

Be cautious when visiting isolated beaches or scenic overlooks where robberies can occur. In Trinidad, for example, there are isolated strips of beach just beyond Maracas Bay where visitors have been robbed of valuables in broad daylight. Visitors to some recreation areas, such as Bamboo Cathedral have had their parked vehicles vandalized. Avoid leaving valuables in plain view in your vehicle. Valuables left unattended on beaches and in other public places are vulnerable to theft. You should not walk alone or in unfamiliar areas. You should avoid neighborhoods known for high crime rates. When in doubt, consult the establishment where you are staying to identify areas to be avoided.

Traditional, non-shared, marked taxis do not exist in Trinidad and Tobago. Private taxis are available at the airports and major hotels, but they are unmetered and unmarked. You can hire them to take you door-to-door, but fares should be agreed upon in advance. Private taxis and route taxis both have plate numbers beginning with “H”. You should ensure your taxi is not a route taxi before getting in, because route taxis will stop to pick up additional passengers. Crimes including rapes, assaults, robberies and thefts have taken place inside taxis. Taxis have also caused serious traffic accidents when they swerved suddenly across several lanes of roadway in order to pick up or discharge passengers. You should also avoid small buses and vans known as “Maxi Taxis” for the same reasons. You should therefore use only private taxis for transportation around Port of Spain, and only private taxis or full-sized inter-city buses for travel between cities. If unsure, consult with the establishment where you are residing or through your travel agency, if applicable.

Do not buy counterfeit and pirated goods, even if they are widely available. Not only are these articles illegal in the United States, but if you purchase them you may also be breaking local law.

Scams: Financial scams are common in Trinidad and Tobago. These scams target foreigners worldwide, and pose risks of both financial loss and personal danger to their victims. Scams are often initiated through Internet postings and unsolicited emails. Never provide personal or financial information to unknown parties via email, telephone, mail or fax. Bilateral law enforcement efforts are targeting Internet fraud, with the goal of reducing the level of fraud activity, but criminals are continually introducing new types of sophisticated scams.

A recurring scam involves phone calls to elderly persons in the U.S. who are told that their grandchild has been arrested in Trinidad and Tobago for involvement in a traffic accident and needs money immediately. Often an actual relative’s name is used, lending credibility to the hoax. If you are informed that a friend or family member has been arrested, please note the arresting officer’s name, the police station name, and contact number, then contact the U.S. Embassy immediately. If you are notified via email, we strongly urge you not to provide any personal or financial information in response. Please immediately forward any such communications to the U.S. Embassy’s American Citizen Services unit so that the claims can be investigated. If a U.S. Citizen has actually been arrested, an Embassy consular officer will arrange to visit the arrestee as soon as possible.

VICTIMS OF CRIME: If you or someone you know becomes the victim of a crime abroad, you should contact the local police and the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.  We can:

• Replace a stolen passport.
• Help you find appropriate medical care if you are the victim of violent crimes such as assault or rape.
• Put you in contact with the appropriate police authorities, and if you want us to, contact family members or friends.
• Help you understand the local criminal justice process and direct you to local attorneys, although it is important to remember that local authorities are responsible for investigating and prosecuting the crime.  

The local equivalent to the “911” emergency line in Trinidad and Tobago is: Police 999, Fire Service 990, Ambulance Service 990 or 811, and Coast Guard 634-4440. SCIEMS is a private ambulance service and can be reached at 694-2404. The Anti-Crime hotline is 555 or 800-TIPS. The kidnapping hotline is 623-6793.

Please see our information for victims of crime, including possible victim compensation programs in the United States.