Preventing an Accident in Your Golf Cart

Driving a golf cart might seem like a pretty harmless activity, given their slow speeds and small size, but the truth is that golf cart accidents occur quite often. Because golf carts have proliferated across campuses, retirement communities and neighborhoods in addition to their traditional fairway usage, the rate of accidents has increased. Usually, these wrecks are due to carelessness, which is something you can proactively work against.

Dever Golf Car Sales, with locations in Louisville and Lexington, is your Kentucky golf cart dealer. As such, we’ve outlined some common causes of golf cart accidents along with some strategies you can use to prevent their occurrence. 

Common Causes of Golf Cart Accidents

There are a number of factors that contribute to the likelihood of an accident occurring when one is driving a golf cart. An accident can cause serious injuries and make for expensive repairs on your cart. Here are a few things to watch out for:

• Passengers hanging arms or legs outside the cart
• Reversing while traveling downhill
• Driving under the influence of alcohol or recreational drugs, including marijuana
• Inattentiveness to surroundings
• Speeding
• Sharp turns
• Overloading the cart with too many passengers or too much cargo
• Traveling over wet or muddy terrain

One or more of the causes listed above could result in sprains, fractures, whiplash, concussions and even crushing if the golf cart overturns. Safe and responsible operation with care given to one’s surroundings will help to prevent these maladies.

Usage With Children

Many families own golf carts and take children on rides; unfortunately, 33% of golf cart accidents involve children. This is because children may be more likely to play or roughhouse while the cart is in motion or even because children are permitted to operate the cart in some jurisdictions and may do so incorrectly. 

Here in Kentucky, a driver must be at least 16 years of age and have their standard driver’s license in order to operate a cart, so any children permitted to operate a golf cart under this age or without valid licensing will be doing so illegally. When children ride as passengers, instruct them to avoid distracting the driver and to remain seated in an upright position when the cart is in motion.

Driving Your Golf Cart With Care

Regardless of the driver’s age, these are the tips we recommend they follow when driving a golf cart, whether it’s on the fairway or in a residential area or even off-roading:

• Operate the cart in good weather only
• Do not use alcohol or recreational drugs prior to or during operation
• Use caution when crossing steep hills or mud
• Remain aware of surroundings
• Stay within the golf cart’s capacities in terms of cargo weight and passenger number
• Lock the parking brake before leaving the cart
• Never park on hills or inclines
• Avoid distractions while driving, including consuming food and drink, using the radio or playing with a phone

When you’re ready to purchase a new cart, visit one of our two Kentucky dealerships to check out our fine selection of new and used golf carts for sale. Dever Golf Car Sales proudly serves Lexington and Louisville, KY.