Belts or No Belts?
 

New villager here! :)

My husband and I ordered a new cart and have time to make some adjustments before the order is locked in.

Hubby doesn't want seat belts, he thinks they'll "get in the way" when on the course (where we wouldn't use them). But I, on the other hand, would like like to have retractible belts put in for safety when driving on the multi-modal paths.

Thoughts, experiences?

I have them on my cart. I never use them on the golf course, but always when on the MMPs or the local streets.

If you get the retractable ones, you won't even notice they're there...

Better to have and not need than to need and not have.

Golf carts are known to flip over when making sudden turns - like to avoid something. Your life, your decision. Make sure your wills are up to date.

A definate YES

Get the belts, retractable ones, and USE them when not on the golf course, there have been several reports of people dying when involved ina golf cart crash and not wearing a seat belt, just my humble opinion.

I don't have them.

No seat belts on my bicycle either though similar speed and less protection.

I will probably order them on my next cart and might add them to this one. Nice to have them available if I ever decide I want to use them.

Oh yes let’s rationalize not wearing seat belts because bicycles don’t have them I tip my hat to you for that stretch , we have had a certain number of people injured after falling out of cart including a recent death , but I can tell you about one I know personally, he was in great shape , ran everyday and a very athletic 65 , he fell out of cart , hit his head and was hospitalized , he’s doing well but he gave up driving because of dizzy spells , he moved back to Boston so that he could walk everywhere or Uber if he needed , he wishes he had a seat belt on and hopes he’ll be able to drive again

Have you seen the drivers here? Get a seat belt.

No. Have had my cart 4 years and have never used them. Waste of money and they get in the way.

And people die in bicycle accidents. Many people drive thousands of miles in a cart without ever scratching the paint, others catch a tire on a lane divider and drive straight into a tunnel wall.

My point wasn't that seat belts on carts were unnecessary (I believe I wrote that I will be getting them on my next cart) my point was there is a similar activity that can be considered. Helmets are not required on bicycles but few would ride without them; seat belts aren't required on carts...

Minority opinion noted

No you were comparing different risks
 

I understand the risk I’m taking on bike and always wear helmet, but you don’t have to take the risk in your cart but I don’t care what you do I’m sure all the other people had great records also and besides I’ve never owned a cart and don’t have any plans to and I’ve lived here a long time and even lived at the Arnold Palmer bay hill country club in Orlando and I have no desire to ever pick up a golf club ever, that’s all I have you can answer but threads over for me I realize I don’t have a dog in this fight because I don’t have a cart

Just up your insurance on him it may payoff nicely

We have and use the seat belts on our cart. We don't use them on the golf course but don't have a problem with them being in the way. You may be a careful driver but that alone cannot keep you safe from others who drive recklessly or have a medical issue while driving. Hope you make the safe decision.

Totally agree. They are especially important for shorter people whose feet don’t reach far enough to wedge themselves safely into the seat.

I'm thinking it's better to get them in now, use them and be done with it.

Welcome!

Yes, get the seat belts and be diligent about wearing them, even for short rides.

Stay safe✌

Yes to seat belts

You hear about golf cart thefts and am wondering if you can get a tracker on your cart and how much theft and liability insurance cost.

Virtually every injury from a golf cart accident is from ejection, and virtually all of those injuries are head injuries. Get the seatbelts and use them.

Yes, fit them
 

Hi,
We would strongly recommend you fit seat belts, you don’t have to be going fast to need them.

A couple of years ago, we slowed down (not stopped) to look at a large snake at the side of the cart track on the side of the road and the lady driving behind us was looking at it too and ran into the back of us, the speed difference between the two carts was probably only 10 mph or so, but both the lady driver behind and my wife were thrown from the carts, my wife onto the grass at the side, but the lady driver behind into the the road!!!

Fortunately there were no cars coming or the few scratches both suffered could have been so much more.

We had seat belts fitted on both our carts the next day.

Andy

Last two Cart deaths that I remember locally were because people hit curbs and were thrown from cart, which landed on their head.

Belts are a must. One roll over and your head hits pavement and you are done.

Seat belt advocates
 

We moved to The Villages just over a year ago and purchased a golf cart shortly after moving in.

Seat belts (retractable) were included with the cart and we use them on the multi modal paths.

Since moving here just over a year ago, we’ve made friends with a person who was ejected from her cart and suffered a broken back. Fortunately , she healed and now has and uses seat belts regularly.

We saw a helicopter air lift a person who was thrown from her cart and seriously injured. I understand that her recovery was long and difficult.

The seat belts don’t interfere on the golf course when they are not in use.

I think that having and using them is a personal choice, but a prudent one, especially for maturing people.

Absolutely... Get them. Especially the retractable ones. I had the floppy ones when I ordered my cart but installed the retractable ones later.
:pray::pray:

A definite YES to seat belts while driving anywhere other then the golf course!!!

When we first moved here had a cart that came with the rental place, no seat belts in it. I was very uncomfortable and hung on tightly to the little grab bar every time we went anywhere.

When we ordered our cart, got the retractable seatbelts...it is apples and oranges feeling when you are buckled up zipping along the MMP.

Highly recommend retractable belts, you will enjoy your cart that much more.

belt
 

Get in a cart and tell them to turn left quick - after you stop rolling around get a belt

For the people that don’t use seatbelts when you have them or don’t want to pay $150 for them in a new cart, Ron White has a Saying: “you can’t fix stupid”

I have had seat belts on the last two carts I have owned. On the golf course, it’s pretty wide open, no curbs that you could hit causing your cart to possibly tip over, depending on the speed. However, having been a resident since 2005, I have read about many golf carts that have hit curbs, or have been T-Boned coming out of a tunnel, etc and it appears to me, at time of impact if they had stayed in the cart they may not have been injured as seriously. Do I know that for a fact? No I dont its just my thoughts. Actually its a personal choice as there isnt any law about it. Be smart, be wise, and make you own decision…but hopefully you will wear it while doing on the Multi-media path and around the Villages. One other thought, younger children in my cart, I am thankful I have them, I feel they are more protected as well.

Wasn't rationalizing
 

I don't think the previous poster was rationalizing that he doesn't have one bicycles. Just stating.

Just think about this, you have signals, probably a bell or buzzer rear view mirrors and no one forces you to use any of them. Seat belts will probably be under a hundred bucks easily and will save your life if you use them on the road and you tip over. But then again no one forces you to use them and they wind up quite nicely. Enjoy your new car and remember you can always put the seat belts on afterwards

We had retractable belts installed about a year after we bought our cart. They do not get in the way on the golf course because they are retracted, obviously, but you never know when someone will do something stupid while you are on the golf cart paths or on the street and they can be a life saver. Tell hubby to grow up and think about the number of poor drivers we have in Florida. He should do it for you if for no other reason.

helmets not required on motorcycles, do you wear them? Seat belts not required on golf carts, do you wear them? Do you wear your seatbelts in your car? Do you want to get thrown from your cart and possibly die? Get the damn belts!

Seat belts
 

Definitely have them installed - They don’t get in the way! Read about the golf cart accidents here and you will change his mind!

seat belts and golf carts
 

I just purchased a new cart and added seat belts. I've rented in the villages over the past two years and used multiple gold carts. I personally don't like to sliding on the seats when the the golf cart is moving.

Not true unless you don’t wear a helmet, which would be foolish.

Really, we should wear helmets in our carts. If a cart flips on its side, your head is probably going to hit the ground even if you are wearing a belt.

In the interest of full disclosure, I am an avid cyclist who wears a helmet and my cart has belts, which I use when on the roads. I also do not wear a helmet in my cart, but have long considered it.

It’s a No-Brainer
 

Last week I had to swerve to avoid a serious collision with others who had stopped in the middle of the MM path to chat. I was the unlucky one who had to swerve on my left. My cart went up on the curb of the median and I was ejected from my golf cart. I sustained a compound fracture to my right ankle and other injuries to my upper body. I will not be able to walk or play golf until after the first of the year. Had I had the seatbelts, I would not have been thrown from the golf cart. Hindsight is 2020. I hope you decide to avoid the possibility of spending time in the hospital in excruciating pain and spend the extra $200 and buy the seatbelts. There are people out there who do not know to exit the path when chatting, texting or using the phone. Don’t be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Save your life & get seat belts, it’s a must with seniors