It helps to know which part of the world one will be driving in. In certain countries, laws are more forgiving than others. You can get an International Driving Permit which is no more than an official translation for your original license into eight diferent languages. It must be accompanied by the original license. This 'permit' is 'valid' for 5, 10 or 15 years depending on the amount of fee you pay. Personally, I feel this particular permit thing is a ripoff, but if it works, why not use it.
In my experience, this permit works fine in Latin America, Africa, and Eastern Europe. I can not vouch for US or EU.
Regards
Satdeep
P.S. You do not need a valid visa to acquire this permit, just a valid passport.