Golf Cart Accident Hits Home
 

A woman who plays tennis with my wife, her husband was severely injured in a golf cart accident--he suffered injury to vertebrae in his neck, he was transported to Ocala--doesn't look good

we don't own a cart & will never ride in own--life is to fragile to safe a few $$ for convenience--drive a car if you're not golfing

I can tell you, unequivocally, I know far more people who have been hurt or killed in car accidents than golf cart accidents. And you've made you point, ad nauseam, about your dislike of golf carts.

Being a retired submariner, I've had safety drummed in to my head--there are no do overs when it hits the fan--I don'y want to spend my retirement paralyzed or worse

There are many on here that have a fear of driving golf carts, or are unsure of their abilities. The majority of the accidents (might be all of the accidents) are caused by the driver of the golf cart. If you have that fear or are unsure of your abilities I agree with Chatbrat. Just a point, there were more auto and motorcycle accidents in the last two weeks that resulted in death and serious injury than golf carts.

I completely understand that, but I don't want to spend my life inside a plastic bubble. Heck, I could me mowed down walking through the Publix parking lot :)

Do the golf cart dealers, or any other 3rd party offer safety or a safe operating class for cart owners?

I know these are offered to motorcycle riders by ABATE and other similar groups.

Where my mother lives (she is 97) they have safety classes for electric wheelchairs (Jazzys and such) and the residents must pass the class every couple of years.

Buy the cart you're on your own---good luck--no seat belts-no air bags-- no crush zone -800 lb death trap

Our oldest will not drive a golf cart. It a matter of personal preference. Our youngest loves to drive them. Both intelligent, but have different opinions on safety in a cart. I have no problems with those who either drive or don’t drive a cart. We own two I rarely drive them.

Sorry to hear that someone got hurt.

I understand your fears but (IMO) they are unwarranted. You have more of a chance getting hurt crossing the street, driving a car, riding a bicycle, playing pickleball, choking on a chicken bone, having high blood pressure and 1000's of other things. My biggest fear is tight places & claustrophobia so I could never be a submariner! Can't imagine how you guys did it.

P.S. Thanks for your service.

What happened? Was it a single vehicle accident? Someone turn into him or did he turn into someone else?

Was that the accident by the Neighborhood Wal-Mart on Heald Way yesterday? If so, that wasn't the fault of anyone but the driver of that cart; someone that turns in front of a much larger vehicle and enters that zone of there's going to be an accident is no one's fault but their own and they are going to get hurt.

I've worked hundred's of vehicle accidents; turning in front of someone is just "head up your butt" inattention.

How many times have you seen a golf-cart driver merge out into traffic from the diamond trail by signaling, or not, when a car is coming fast upon them? They don't slow down (the cart) but just go....in this case I believe the car has the right of way and the cart is to yield. How many times have you seen a golf-cart driver turn left from the diamond trail and cross both lanes of car/traffic? I have on both of these points! How many times have you seen carts try to cross (from the left) car/vehicle traffic just as this cart accident did on Heald Way trying to beat said traffic? Most times they do but is it worth the effort in the event they don't? I've also seen cart drivers pass other carts on the diamond path and seemingly not checking to see if there is car/truck traffic coming behind them (think on North Morse past 466). People seem to lose their focus once they're driving. I still contend they bring their bad driving habits when they move here! Not stopping or yielding at signs---probably did it before. Not signaling---probably did it before. Taking chances? Well----probably did it before. Is it all worth it??? :boom:

I am sorry that gentleman got hurt.
I seen it happen and the cart made a left hand turn in front of the SUV. The SUV wasn't going more then 10 to 15 mpg. the SUV didn't have time to even hit the brakes. the cart flew sideways in the air about 10 feet on to the sidewalk (only about 6 inches off the ground) and the guy got ejected the other way.
Very said and i hope he is OK. It made me think if he had a seat belts it may have helped if he stayed with the cart. But if the cart goes upside down then the seat belt would of not helped him.
People i don't ever want to witness something like that again.
If you are in a Golf cart you don't have the right of way and even if you think you do, don't play chicken with a vehicle 5 times the weight of your cart and that can go much faster. PLEASE be careful.
He will be in my prayers and i hope for his speedy recovery

I’m very sorry to hear about this accident. I can only hope he will recover.

It is frightening how your life can change in an instant.

Lets see, should I go out to eat, or drive my golf cart?

We estimate that foodborne diseases cause approximately 76 million illnesses, 325,000 hospitalizations, and 5,000 deaths in the United States each year. Known pathogens account for an estimated 14 million illnesses, 60,000 hospitalizations, and 1,800 deaths. Three pathogens, Salmonella, Listeria, and Toxoplasma, are responsible for 1,500 deaths each year, more than 75% of those caused by known pathogens, while unknown agents account for the remaining 62 million illnesses, 265,000 hospitalizations, and 3,200 deaths. Overall, foodborne diseases appear to cause more illnesses but fewer deaths than previously estimated.

Food-Related Illness and Death in the United States - Volume 5, Number 5—October 1999 - Emerging Infectious Diseases journal - CDC


Each year, there are approximately 13,000 golf cart-related accidents that require emergency room visits, and that number is rising, according to data compiled by the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission. About 40 percent of those accidents involve children younger than 16. Half result from kids falling out of a moving cart. That is a highly disproportionate number of young people getting hurt when you consider that most golf carts are still used by adults on golf courses.

Number of Serious Golf Cart Injuries in Florida, U.S. on the Rise

I know in the past 5 years living here I've almost been mowed down in the crosswalk in front of Winn-Dixie by a car 5 times more than having a near miss in our golf cart. I want to add a hats off to our Navy men as well.

That is too bad but my entire reason for buying in the Villages is to drive a golf cart. Have put over 100 miles in a day a couple times. The ability to go out to eat, grocery shop or go to the centers for entertainment by golf cart is the main reason to live here.

It's a Golf Cart, low speed vehicle. You buy them for easy parking and are less expensive then operating your car and easier to park. Max speed 20 mph, leave it that way(one passed me the other day on the road I was doing 30 in my car he was in the cart lane really?). What's the hurry? Turning left from the Diamond lane to cross multiple lanes of traffic? Not stopping at stop signs, cross streets your not supposed to? Wake up people that's what causes accidents. My headlights are on all the time, do you have any idea how many people have stopped me to say hey your lights are on. You saw me didn't you that's why they're on. Just be careful. No I'm not perfect just be careful.

Skip, I always pay heed to everything you say and I agree again. Also, golf carts have no sides and no protective structure and being strapped in is usually but not always a good thing. I think anyone who hands their keys to either an inexperienced driver or someone unfamiliar with the golf cart paths is asking for trouble. You cannot be too careful here driving a golf cart. In the last ten years more than 13 people have been killed driving them in The Villages and dozens injured. We do have here over 70,000 golf carts.

Everyone is in God's hands. Whatever will be will be.

i wish there were better statistics on golf cart with seat-belts. the EMS seem to think there are less injury's if you have a seat belt in a cart that is not a LSV. LSV can go on the road and do 30 mph, regular carts can only go 20 mph by law..
My husband can make my cart do better than 20 mph but i have NO interest in doing so. They are unstable as it is, at 20 mph if you make a sharp turn. Just FYI

Lots of danger in this world. Lots of people hurt riding in cars, riding bikes, etc. Be careful out there.

LSV and regular golf carts have the same structural integrity or lack of it--if I was ever going to own a golf cart it would be an "Atomic'--offers way more protection

LSV's are to go 25 mph....unless you know something we don't at our house as we have an LSV. We've had people pass us and leave us in their "dust" in a regular on--anyone going over 25 mph. in a golf-cart is breaking the law.

Thought a LSV had to do at least 30 mph to be registered as a LSV, i may be wrong.

If you are going over 20 mph you are breaking the law--besides speeding, you can be fined for having an unregistered ,uninsured vehicle and an improper vehicle

very expensive--once you exceed 20 mph--the cart is no longer a golf cart-it morphs to the above

The real issue for me is that a golf cart is no match for a car in an accident. Same with bikes and motorcycles. I would rather be in a car if there is a chance to be involved in an accident.

Yes, keep the odds down--what do you have to gain? what do you have to lose ? this is the only game , where you tie ,you lose

IMHO--if you're not golfing, use the car, ESPECIALLY--if passengers feet can't touch the floor

I think the image of The Villages is you get to use a golf cart in place of a car. That is certainly the impression many people have including myself. You can't protect against stupid whether it is a car or a golf cart. Operate defensively and drive safe.

Golf Carts
 

[QUOTE=Chatbrat;1576731]Buy the cart you're on your own---good luck--no seat belts-no air bags-- no crush zone

When you do as we do, live in a Community where HAPPY HOURS start at 10 am., well then, JUST face it, you are surrounded by alcoholics, well not Alcoholics, just people who drink too much. For instance, we cannot ride our Bicycles after noon, on the MMPs, speedways!! We really need Carts to be Registered, need a RESPONSIBLE agent SO WE ARE able to report offenders. Need carts to have large identifying numbers. How is this? About 1 pm, I am slowly going along in our Golf Cart ON MMP. Two guys, come on very fast from behind, and pass VERY close, the passenger leans over and swats my rear-view mirror, breaks the bracket. They speed off in their souped up YAMMA gasser. In about the next 100 feet, passenger throws out a beer can, the next 100 Feet, the driver tosses his empty pint of booze. Be careful folks.
Welcome to the VILLAGES
:MOJE_whot: :a040:

Here is an interesting article on golf cart use in retirement communities and even some urban/suburban areas. It leads out describing their use in The Villages. The (Mostly) Safe Golf Cart - The New York Times

Isn't it over 20 mph in a golf cart is breaking the law?

YUP...except for licensed/registered LSV's that legally can go 25 mph. They have to have seat belts as well. TOO many soup up their gas runned ones though and break the law. NOT worth it if they get tagged for something as they'll pay big bucks in court costs and fines.

If anyone actually has an lsv (street legal) it's 25 max. You cannot have an LSV without it technically being street legal (registered and insured and plated like a car). If you have an lsv and it isn't registered and doesn't have FL license plates and insurance you are not legal as all that you are doing is driving an unlicensed motor vehicle whether it be on road or only on golf cart paths.


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Not just gas, most par carts and star carts electric's will run well over 30 MPH, get passed everyday by golfers speeding to the next tee times.

I’m sorry to hear of a person being injured. I too agree caution is the name of the game and drive defensively, I always assume someone else is not going to stop or is driving too fast. Even though our golf cart can easily hit 30 MPH we keep it between 18 and 20 mph. I’m also of the mindset there are much greater dangers on the road driving a car than a golf cart. Once upon a time I sweat profusely just knowing I was boarding a plane, I was sure my flight was the one that was going to crash!! I now think if my time has come, it has come and there’s not much I can do about it. But that doesn’t give me the right to act like a boob behind the wheel of a golf cart, since getting here a month ago my wife and I sometimes just shake our heads at some of the driving. It’s not everyone but like anything else there’s always a few.

[QUOTE=bbbbbb;1576889]
You must live below 466? Other than very few empty bottles I rarely see what you see. IMO majority of speed law breakers are golfers and mostly but, not all men

No not really, if you hit the cart in the rear you are at fault in majority of accidents. Now if you plow into the side of the cart then you will probably have the right of way. Even if I'm going 30 iand cart going 20 when he signals ahead of me I have to yield to vehicles in from of me cause it's I hit them in the rear 99.9999999% of the time I will be at fault. Besides most cars rarely go the speed limit which makes it bad situation approaching carts in diamond lane which IMO causes most accidents from speed in and cart drivers not seeing traffic behind them.

I think TV offers a class at Colony.