Golf Cart Safety Tips

Golf carts, developed during the mid-20th century to make golf easier and more fun for its players, are extremely useful forms of transport. While they’re generally used on the greens, you can also take a golf cart for a spin around a large campus or residential area, and they can be used to help with maintenance tasks. Some malls even make use of golf carts for janitorial services since there’s a lot of ground to cover, but any other vehicle would be impractical.

Even though a golf cart is much smaller and not nearly as fast or as dangerous as a car, accidents and crashes can still happen if drivers are careless. 

That’s why Dever Golf Car Sales has provided this list of golf cart safety tips: to help you be a responsible golf cart operator, both on and off the course! We have locations in Lexington and Louisville, Kentucky, so pay us a visit if you’re in need of a golf cart or have questions about good driving practices.

Never Drive Recklessly

While you’re driving your golf cart, it’s important that you follow the same rules that you do when driving any other type of motorized vehicle. For instance, speeding on a golf cart is a bad idea. They aren’t meant to go very fast in the first place, so you could overheat the engine.

Take turns slowly and signal them with your hand in advance so that other drivers and pedestrians know what you’re doing and can stay out of your way. When riding on slopes, move carefully and take them straight up and down so you don’t roll your cart over or lose any cargo or passengers. Pay attention and check behind you before backing up, too.

Also, you need to be mindful of obstacles and people in your path, especially when driving a golf cart on a campus or indoors. Stay aware of those around you, including other vehicles. Don’t drive your cart on sidewalks, either, because those are meant for pedestrians only.

You should always operate your golf cart sober. This means no drinking or using drugs before or during your ride. You’re much more likely to operate your cart recklessly when you’re intoxicated, which only increases the likelihood that you’ll wreck your golf cart or go sailing into a sand trap or water hazard.

At the same time, it’s important to not distract yourself in other ways. Texting, applying makeup, eating, drinking, or messing with a radio are all very distracting activities that you should avoid when operating a motorized vehicle of any kind. Keep your focus and do these activities once you’ve parked your vehicle.

Don't Overpack Your Golf Cart

While your golf cart likely has a space in the back for your clubs and other cargo and maybe a few small compartments within it, it’s not meant to hold hundreds of pounds of extra weight. If you overpack your golf cart, you run the risk of getting a flat tire or doing some damage to your vehicle. Your cargo could also fall out as you drive.

Instruct Passengers On Safety

It’s important to not take on any more passengers than your vehicle can handle. Only take as many passengers on your golf cart as there are available seat belts so that everyone stays safe. Make sure that your passengers keep their arms and legs inside the vehicle as you drive, and request that they are quiet around other golfers so as not to disturb their game.

If you want to see a great selection of golf carts for sale, visit Dever Golf Car Sales. We have locations in Lexington and Louisville, Kentucky, to serve our customers. We also provide golf cart rentals, repair, and parts, so no matter what your golf cart needs, we can help you out!