another golf cart injury
 

looks like a person was thrown from his cart, hit his head & went to the hospital

Its amazing no one seem to have a problem with seat belts in their cars

But, very few people equip their carts with seat belts and they have little children as passengers in their carts with zero protection

Also LSV, which only go 5mph faster--are required to have seat belts--their structure is the same

It wasn't too long ago (maybe 5 years or so) that cart seat belts were not recommended by the authorities around here. It was thought better to be thrown from the cart than have it crush you when it went over.

.

Most injuries are from being ejected from carts. Not many tip over. If it tips over nothing will save you, unless you have side air bags,

As long as you don't hit your head--it sounds like it was an excuse by a well versed salesperson, as response to-why are not golf carts equipped with seat belts

Law Enforcement told us the same nine years ago. They said it was dangerous to be thrown and dangerous to be held immobile and have some object harm you...with no sides on the vehicle. A person was killed in that manner in Hadley last year sliding sideways into a car with his seatbelt holding him in place. Hard to know what to do.

If you have taken the AARP safety course, the instructor said most people over 60 will not survive an injury that a 30 year old would--we go into shock muck quicker

It balances out because we are experienced and far less likely to smash beer cans on our face, drink alcohol through a funnel and hose, or eat a cup of cinnamon.

Speak for yourself.

I believe in and use seatbelts. All current thinking suggests that seat belts should be installed and used in golf carts!

point #4

Golf Cart Safety Fundamentals - Golf Cart Safety

around 5 min mark ->

Golf Cart Safety - The VHA

You're a pilot safety is drilled into, everything you do==I'm a retired submariner-(thru the reserves) no do overs in submarines

I'm a card carrying mother and grandmother. I outrank both of you.

Amen to that :thumbup:

IMO if your poor vehicle driver usually means your poor golf car driver. :22yikes:I also think the problem too many carts governors have been tamper with even on LSV. I have clocked to many exceeding well and over 30 MPH.:police: IMO there will always be another golf car accident, just like there will always be another vehicle accident. To seat belt golf carts or not? Damned it you do and damned it you don't? Just depends on the situation you get into. I personally like and have seat belts and my cart IAW the law. When I am driving along in my golf cart I am in the defensive mood. Just like when I ride bike. I assume the car will pull out in front of me, cut me off, and basically ignore me, so I already off the gas and ready to break or swerve to negate getting hit.

Thursday night we saw 6 person cart almost roll over. bunch of kids laughing till that happened. stopped,started laughing and took off

I do not have any statistics to back the observation up, but it seems intuitively to me that a good solid bump or high speed swerve is likely to dislodge you from the inside of a golf cart and that seat belts might prevent that. They also seem to be more likely events then turning one over. When thinking about it, I can not think of any fast moving conveyances designed for human occupancy not equipped with seatbelts. Elevators and escalators do not count although in light of the escalator accident the other day maybe they should. For the price, golf cart seatbelts seemed like a good investment to me.

Excellent post. :thumbup:

Analogous to this issue, are those that have anecdotal stories about how... "they (or someone they know) would have died in a car crash if they hadn't been thrown clear."

That line of reasoning was long ago dispelled...for intelligent people anyway. :oops:

Seat Belt Myths and Facts - Donlen Corporation



MSP - Myths and Facts About Seat Belts

I believe you and I have to ask: Is driving like that an enjoyable means of transportation?

Being able to continue to breathe on your own and enjoy the use of all limbs...is definitely "enjoyable." :thumbup:

Whether in your automobile or a golf cart, being a 'defensive driver'...gives one the best chance to accomplish the above. :ho:

Carts and crash
 

Well this is a big topic. A belt cinched up will keep you from being thrown. Double, lap and shoulder straps are a good deal better for sure.
It is sad what is going on now. Today, riding my bike, I get over when I see a cart coming from behind. I motion with the left arm to come on and pass, then I stop pedaling and pullover as far as I can to the very edge of the pavement and at times I even get off on to the grass, but cannot always do that. Just going from Old Mill on the cart path, north, to just beyond Arnold Palmer, ten to twelve carts passed me. As in any day, about 1 or 2 of 10 will pass so close and I mean close about 3 inches to show their ignorance and stupidity. Also so many will pass me on the bike when carts are coming ahead against our direction and then it is really close. No one is monitoring this area on paths. It is sad that such a great place will allow this to take place and it is a real item. Sadly, someone may get killed and it is all so sad and preventable. There is no such thing as an accident, it is all stupidity and being rude and it is all for ME. :crap2:

I agree. The MMPs look like very dangerous places to me.

Maybe after a few people are killed, TV might do something about it. In the meantime, we have to accept things as they are and look out for ourselves.

We agree and had seat belts installed right after we got our cart.

Not a day goes buy without encountering stupid either driving a golf cart , car or a bike

Driving aware of your surroundings is paramount

Seat belts are important, especially for the passenger, who doesn't have a steering wheel to hang on to. One unexpected emergency move and they are thrown from the cart, accident or not. What would be a good idea would be to design a roll bar in the frame enclosure. You would remain in the cart, but not get crushed by it.

There are plenty of carts out there that exceed the 20mph limit. I get passed by them all the time. Haven't seen the cops out with their radar guns in a long time. If they needed to raise some money, all they need to do is spend a few days in The Villages. At $250 a pop, they could make a killing. :laugh:

Golf Cart or Low Speed Vehicle? – Didier Law Firm

I found this interesting and would guess that lawsuits in the Villages concerning golf carts might change things. Which has happened in a variety of other topics in the Villages over the years. Or just the threat of lawsuits. The buffalo at Lake Sumter and the Learning College come to mind.

Then if you are worried about a roll over and hitting your head, just add a helmet. Racing leathers would take care of possible road rash.

In general, I find the vast majority of folks I run across on the MMPs are sharing them safely. I find golf carts a fun, if not particular efficient method of transportation. If I wanted to be truly safe I've seen small cars on the cart paths with solid sides, windows and roofs that probably would be very safe in any collision. On the other hand, I asked an owner if those tend to be hot to drive, and she said yes. So you'd really need to add air conditioning. At that point you might as well be in a car.

A car, with all it's safety features, driven at the 20mph on the side streets (Canal, O'Dell Circle, etc) is probably safer than the MMP for those who are worried about safety on the MMPs. There is very few, if any, places in The Villages that you can't reach by car. There is no reason one needs to drive a golf cart in fear.

I'm willing to risk the MMPs with in regular carts without seat belts. It's such an adventure!

:evil6:

We use our seat belts everyday. Once I saw a heavy set women with a small child on her lap with a seat belt across both of them. As I saw that, all I could think was that if the cart stopped suddenly the child would stop, but the heavy set women would not.

I saw a man today with a small child on his lap as he was driving. No seatbelt. No common sense.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Or you land on your spouse!

I remember a police officer giving a safety training class saying, (I have never unbuckled a dead person).

I can't really say definitely if it applies to golf carts but I would tend to think so. I wear seat belts as I want to die of old age. :smiley:

Not sure what submarines have to do with golf carts.

The problem is old folk. Some think they still have their 20something reflexes, some refuse to give up driving a cart even though their reflexes, eyesight and hearing are that of a child around one year old. Some old folks think it's their right of way you you'd just better beware. Others are on the cell phones, have speakers way to loud and dog on their lap. The common sense they hopefully learned growing up has gone a.w.o.l.

Seat belts or no seat belts...the accidents and injuries will happen. The gov't already tells me I have to wear one in a car. I don't want them telling me I have to use one in a cart. And who would police it being used???? I wear a helmet bicycling...many do not. Their choice.

after reading about the horrific crash in Texas 13 people died ,their ages range 67--85--one side of the bus looked like it didn't have any major damage--older people will die because our internal muscles and connective tissues weaken as we age

if you get thrown out of a golf cart @ 20 mph--its not going to have a good outcome

True statement.
It is the job of the Coroner to unbuckle the dead person.

Shoulder harnesses
 

I cant believe any educated law enforcement officer would ever advise against using a seat belt or shoulder harness. We have a new 2017 Yamaha with shoulder harnesses and I wouldn't be without. A golf cart body still gives you more protection then your head. 😎

Submarines are about safety--so think safety when you're in your golf cart

Personally I will not own a golf cart or be a passenger in own--IMHO--they're an accident , waiting to happen

They're death traps-- better to be safe , than be cool

About 25 years ago, I received a speeding ticket in a company vehicle...headed toward a company emergency.

Given the chance to take an 8 hour drivers ed class on Saturday, or being assessed the points and fine (I was driving pretty fast :D)...I chose the class of course.

It was taught by an extremely huge retired state trooper, who when he got to the seat belt law, stated that it's the law...but he personally didn't wear them. :22yikes:

He said it was because he 'thought he was safer' without them. :oops:

Being the quiet, unassuming guy that I am (lol)...I called him on it.

He threatened to fail me for telling him he was an idiot and then I replied that if he even tried...he would find that he would come out on the short end of the stick.

To this day, I am still amazed that this person...was ever even allowed to teach this class. :ohdear:

:1rotfl: I guess I could have expressed myself a little clearer.

FWIW - Many people have cited examples where an accident would be a highly improbable scenario, to justify not wearing seat belts.

I know a couple who didn't wear them for the above reason until they both got tickets for $270. They started to wear seat belts after that.

To each his/her own. :smiley: