Private residents may have retained driving rights, but Cumberland Island’s remote nature lends itself to a lack of oversight and enforcement. Island visitors have observed private vehicles driving into groups of migrating and endangered birds, radios blaring from the back of pickup trucks driving across the sand, and the destruction of dunes and nesting areas.

Driving along the beach for anything other than scientific research purposes poses danger to sea turtle hatchlings, nesting and migrating shorebirds, and more. It can damage vegetation, compact sand, and create ruts and tire tracks that can trap hatchlings and accelerate erosion, contributing to habitat degradation.