Golf Cart Safety
 

After some recent reports of golf cart accidents where people were hurt I was thinking about the golf cart and safety since we recently moved to the Villages and were looking for a cart. Normally a golf cart is used on a golf course. No traffic, short slow runs from hole to hole. Because of this, safety is probably not an issue but the Villages has turned the golf cart into a transportation vehicle with all the safety issues even though it's limited to 20 mph. I'm an engineer and when i first came here i was mortified on how some people drive their carts, no seat belts, pretty fast, leg hanging out of the cart, etc.. I don't think most people realize what an impact will do to you even at 20 mph. And of course over the couple of months that we have been here we read about people being thrown from their cart or the cart falls over on them, etc.. For this reason, we felt the Atomic Cool Kart was the best choice for us because it has some safety features that will probably protect you at the speeds it can go when using it as a vehicle here in the Villages and we plan on using it as a 2nd vehicle as well as on the golf course. I haven't done the research but I'm not sure golf cart companies do much in regards to safety beyond what is needed for the traditional use of the cart on the golf course.

Yes, as well as every other golf cart community in the world, don't pin this on TV.

Simple solution---don't use a golf cart except on the course. Then go out and by a Subaru since they are supposed to be "safe". But please don't test that "safety" out against my 5,000 pound SUV

Please don't misunderstand. I'm not pinning this on the Villages. Just saying the Villages probably has the largest golf cart path infrastructure than most communities making golf cart safety something to be aware of.

No problem, I agree:mademyday:

My misinterpretation, it's just there are so many anti-Villages/anti-developers posters on TOTV that my first instinct is negative. Sry

I have a strange view about most things. It is valid to get input from others but in the end the decision, the result of the decision, you have made are yours.

All of life is a risk. I don't believe there have been any crash tests done on golf carts.
We have insurance and are licensed drivers. You do not need to have either to run a golf cart.

You can break the traffic laws, but not the laws of physics.

As some people find out, usually too late.

We do not own a golf cart, but the roads we drive occasionally cross a MMP where golf carts are travelling. In every case, the golf carts have a STOP sign.

We do not look out for golf carts at those intersections, any more than we look out for cars that have a stop sign at roads that intersect the main road that we are driving on.

I almost hit a golf cart yesterday. We were parked in the parking lot at Turtle Mound golf course. When we left, we had to cross the very busy MMP. Since we had the right-of-war, we were not looking out for any golf carts. As I approached the MMP, a golf cart driver ran through the stop sign and crossed right in front of me, so I gave that old guy a very loud and very long honk, and then kept on going.

He barely got by before I crossed the intersection, but at least the guy right behind him had the sense to stop at the STOP sign, so i didn't hit him.

You are correct you had the right of way. But as a defensive driver I am always looking ahead and all around me for any trouble spots or potential issues. I don’t want to get into any accident whether it is my fault or not. I especially do not want to hit a cart when I am driving a car because the results can be catastrophic. So I always assume the person in the cart or on the bicycle will ignore the stop sign and I prepare to stop if needed.

Well, I hope you will start looking out for them now that you've had a close call. People make mistakes, and old people make more than young people. It would be a good idea, and much appreciated by many if you would look out for carts. You might save someone's life, or prevent them from being catastrophically injured, just by being careful. It would be well worth the extra 2 seconds of your time.

I totally agree with you. I have made mistakes and been saved by others more attentive at that particular moment. I have saved others the same way. We all make mistakes. We all should try to be careful and maybe save someone from getting hurt if we can.

I would put down your driving skills as unsafe. A driver is a hazard to others on the road if he does not look all around his car at an intersection even if he has the right of way. When I start to pull out into an intersection after a light turns green I do a head check to make sure no one is running the light. One reason I do this is because that was what I was taught in drivers education, but another key reason is that one time when the light had turned green and I was about to enter the intersection an 18 wheeler that was exceeding the speed limit blew by me. Wow! I sure was glad I looked around that time! We should all try to look out for other cars and trucks as well as walkers, bicyclists, and yes, golf carts when we are out driving. I see people everyday that don’t do this as they have “tunnel vision” and when they have the right of way, watch out, they are oblivious to others and that makes them extremely dangerous. Who hasn’t made a mistake and forgotten a stop sign, or forgot to yield? Aren’t you glad the other drivers watched out for you? I know I am. Be careful out there.

I know that area very well. Having a close call with a golf cart there is extremely reckless on the part of the car driver. Regardless of who is "right".

I didn't have a close call, but the guy who ran his golf cart thru the stop sign sure did.

Have you taken golf cart safety ourse?

"The Nut behind the Wheel"
 

It is a mechanical problem, THE NUT BEHIND THE WHEEL

I was always taught even though you think you may have the right of way, you never have it but you can always give it. I find the unsafest places are right behind the gate houses when you can't really see golf carts coming and going. They are supposed to stop there and wait for you to go through but there are many instances where they don't show in other words it's always the person sitting in the car or the car the most important safety item you can have

Seat Belts a must
 

It has been six weeks since I could walk. I learned the hard way. If I had seat belts at the time of my accident, I may have been able to avoid being thrown out of my golf cart. Fourteen pins and one plate in my right ankle later, I know now that the the additional $200 would have been a bargain. Nine weeks non-weight bearing is hell, but it could have been much worse. Be careful out there. Golf cart accidents seem to be the norm these days.

Golf cart safety school coming up next week at Colony Cottage rec center. People should attend the very informative clinic and get the TRUTH about cart usage. Lots of WRONG information on this and other sites.

I'm with you on that. Always check for errant driving.

I don't even think the safety school would help a lot of these drivers.

:ohdear::pray::ohdear::pray:

Golf cart safety
 

defensive driving - never assume you have the right-a-way.

Right of way
 

It's not just in the villages and golf carts. It is the same everywhere people act entitled like the rules and laws don't apply to them. If you drove any vehicle with the attitude "Screw them I got the right of way" You would be in a crash at least 5 times a week. Maybe it's their fault but your vehicle is still wrecked and someone maybe injured.

Carts verses cars is a no win situation for carts. Be careful.

Honestly, it’s people like you that are causing accidents. If you haven’t realized that older peoples reflexes are not as good as they used to be you should not be driving. I always have a watchful eye on the other guy weather I’m in my golf cart or car. DRIVE SAFE

I think most people know golf carts can be dangerous. They make their own decisions about that, as with motorcycle helmets. As for me, I don’t drive with one leg out, and I always use a seatbelt for driving around. That helps a lot. I’m not sure of the quality of the roll cage and all in the Atomic, but I doubt that it is as sturdy as what is found in a sport car—that would weigh too much. However, the sensation of having the doors closed is certainly very different from the free breeze in a regular golf cart without doors.

Golf Cart Safety
 

Monday, I turned left onto CR 466 in my car to go play softball. Guess what I encountered? Yep, a golf cart going about 30 MPH westbound on 466. I put on my 4 way flashers and got behind the cart then realized the driver was not even looking. I pulled slowly next to him and shouted that he should not be on 466 and to cross over to the multimodal path. His response, a brush off wave with his left arm as though - mind your own business. You cannot help anyone who will not help themselves! Anyone driving over 20 MPH should be arrested it is not safe. These are golf carts not sports cars. They roll over and people fall out. That is when you really feel it so get seat belts to at least keep you in the cart. One wrong move of the wheel even at 20 MPH can cause a roll over in a cart. Be smart and slow down. But don't worry on Rio Grande Ave. or Chula Vista Ave. because there is no enforcement! My two cents.

Maybe it was a street legal vehicle.

You are not a defensive driver if you don’t watch what others are doing.

I’d say mind your own business too.

Still can't be on 466-----speed limit is 45, and street legal carts are (supposedly) limited to 25mph on roads posted 35mph or less

It is wise to ALWAYS drive defensively. Kudos to those who drive the way the person in the post quoted drives.

I have often thought that there are really very few accidents. Your golf cart being struck by a meteor is an accident. Your golf cart striking another vehicle because you were going over the 20 mile-per-hour speed limit and losing control on a 90° turn is not. Nor is clipping the mirror of an oncoming cart because you turned to say something to your passenger. Nearly all "accidents" can be avoided by the simple expedients of SLOWING DOWN and PAYING ATTENTION.

Ahhhh, got it. That 'splains a lot.

IMHO, that's 99% paying attention and 1% slowing down. Let's face it, if you can't control your cart at 21 or 22, you can't control it at 20, and 1 or 2 mph is not going to be the cause of "nearly all accidents"

Full disclosure---my cart is set at 20 mph.

Maybe you should not drive in TV. Your car is dangerous to others

If you take a second to notice, when you are at a stoplight in the Villages, when you have the RED, the cross traffic with the green light, then yellow, then RED, there will be about a 2 second delay before your light turns GREEN. This will allow the idiots who just HAVE TO make the light, run through their now RED light, without killing someone who was waiting for the green.

As a driver it is your responsibility to be aware and lookout for everything around you. Whether it is a golf cart, pedestrian, motorcycle, bike, animal or anything you can think of. If you are driving with blinders on then you should not be driving. If you hit a golf cart and kill someone you will have to live with that, most people can’t but maybe you can just say they should have stopped and move on.

The trick is to always drive defensively, in a car or golf cart. I always assume the other driver will do something stupid, and am seldom disappointed.

Where is the condemnation for the cart driver? He is the idiot who blew through the stop sign. Stupid question I know, the cart driver is always right and has priority over all other vehicles.

I personally pleased that the op had found a solution to his concern and personal apprehensions.
I am also happy that he did not expect me to drive one of those on the course. That is his choice mine is different, we are both comfortable.

You might have been right, but remember Florida is a very litigious place. Kill or maim someone, and by the time you finish with the lawyers, you might wish you had yielded the right of way. Besides, it is a friendly, neighborly thing to do.

Surprised that the heavy adverstising lawyers do not run commercials on gold cart accidents in this area. Even though golf cart can only go 20 MPH legally, if you collide with something else, no protection in golf cart.

Mentioned getting an enclosed cart. Not very practical if you are going to use cart to play golf. Have to open door numeoous times during a round.

Whenever I go anywhere in TV, I need to remind myself to take extra care, especially in the round abouts.