This is the time of year when tire tracks overlap footprints on southern New Jersey beaches, a time when many oceanfront municipalities welcome vehicles on the sand.

It may be jarring for new residents and visitors to have to watch out for trucks on the beach. But the tradition is an annual rite that reflects the character of life at the shore. Fishermen play a major part in defining that character, and beach driving allows them to better work the water's edge once vacationers leave. So most area shore towns allow vehicles on their beaches from the fall through the spring.

• Click here to continue reading this story