Golf Cart Minimum Driving Age
 

The golf cart driving age in Florida is currently 14 years old. That may soon change.
By Ana Goñi-Lessan

Some Florida teens may no longer be able to drive a golf cart around their neighborhoods.

A bill that would raise the age and add requirements to operate a golf cart passed through the Senate Committee on Transportation on Tuesday. SB 1290, sponsored by Sen. Erin Grall- R, Ft. Pierce, prohibits a person from driving a golf cart on public roadways unless they are 15 with a learner's permit or 16 with a license.

Those with learner's permits must have someone 21 and older in the passenger seat of the golf cart.

"There's a level of training that we expect when people operate a vehicle on our public roadways," Grall said.

Currently, Florida law allows a 14-year-old to drive a golf cart, which Grall said makes it difficult for local governments to enact their own laws that would raise the age.

Golf carts do not require insurance and do not exceed 20 miles per hour.
Law enforcement agencies across the state supported the bill, citing the the increase of golf cart communities in the state.

"It's a fabulous idea, it's a great thing. But the problem is we don't need 14-year-olds operating a golf cart on a highway," said St. John's County Sheriff's Office Director of Patrol Scott Beaver.

Good idea.

Only a fool would drive a golf cart without insurance if you cause an accident and have any wealth at all Dan Newlin will be making a call.

I don't see anything in the bill requiring those with learner's permits to have someone 21 or over riding with them.

I feel it is at best unnecessary and at worst another step down an undesirable path.

If the requirement for a learner's permit is needed to ensure those on the streets understand basic rules of the road then shouldn't we require learner's permits for bicyclists as well? Perhaps even more so since mistakes are more deadly on a bicycle than on a golf cart?

The more we treat golf carts like cars, the easier it will be to eliminate any differences. Do we really want to require insurance for golf carts? Do we really want to require safety glass, seatbelts, self-canceling turn signals, and airbags on golf carts? Do we really want to require Florida vehicle registration for golf carts?

Then again, this law is no surprise in the "free state" of Florida.

On what highways are 14 yos driving golf carts?

The short answer is yes. It really doesn't matter here since the police enforce very few vehicle laws of any kind except DUI's

So here is a relevant question, if the minimum age will require a learners permit with an adult present or a drivers license, what about the old folks driving golf carts who are no longer able to qualify for a drivers license because of deteriorated physical or mental ability?

I wish law enforcement would treat driving while using a cell phone as strictly and seriously as DUI’s, it’s more common and arguably just as dangerous if not worse.

For free people living in a free state, you folks sure do want a lot of laws

There was a golf cart flipped over in tunnel yesterday south of 44 Brownwood Bridge. Appeared to be a young girl driving & miracle! No injuries. Golf cart driving should be same age as vehicle. Also adults should no better than to drive golf carts with children in their laps, too many people to number of seats & not wearing seat belts. Rant over.

Maybe in other retirement communities, but in TV they are allowed to go up to 30 mph even without tags and registration. I know its not legal but without enforcement it doesn't matter.

Where did you see 30 mph is legal on golf carts?

Amen

Another unenforceable law cluttering up the books

The planned 250 or so under 55 households in T V Village of Middleton with teens enrolling in the High School will be crushed to hear this change in Golf Cart rules if it is enacted.

How will the teens of The Villages live the dream... driving golf carts without mom and dad to Brownwood to eat a burger at 5 Guys, catch a fun movie at the Brownwood movie theater (oh wait... that theater is just a prop), grab an after movie Ice Cream cone at Scooples and dance in the town square like all of us old people?

Someone always wants to kill the fun these days.

I don't understand how these so-called street legal carts can travel on Buena Vista, 441, 466.

What makes them street-legal? Insurance? Registration? Are they equipped with some special equipment?

I also see these so-called street-legal carts on MMP and golf courses.

What’s the catch how do I get this luxury?

No, not on 441 and 466. Street legal golf carts are allowed on roads with a speed limit upto 35 mph.

There was a young girl no older than 10-11 years old, with an even younger boy, driving a cart down Marsh Bend yesterday. No adults with them.

Are you that confident in your ability to judge age?

Your best bet is to google "florida golf cart laws."

There is a difference between what they "can" do and what they are "allowed" to do.
- They CAN travel on any roadway - it is physically possible.
- They are ALLOWED to travel on most roadways where the speed limit is 35mph or less.

If you saw a golf cart traveling on 441 or 466 then it was very likely breaking the law and should have been stopped and ticketed. My guess is you haven't seen that.

What makes you believe the golf carts you saw were street legal? Given that you don't know what makes a cart street legal I doubt you could recognize the difference. In any case, street legal golf carts are allowed on MMPs and golf courses.

How do you get this luxury? Google can help with that too.

I agree 100%. Yesterday on my street, 2 golf carts passed me. One with a driver between the age of 9 and 11 operating the cart with mom or grandma in the passenger seat trying to help the child and the other behind it with about a 6 year old sitting in dads lap. They were headed to the main roadway. There is no way that those children could take immediate accident avoidance techniques to avoid a crash let alone cause one.

Roadways are also called highways

There are responsible 14 yr olds and irresponsible adults. Common sense is like deodorant, those that need it most won't use it...

A “street legal” golf cart is restricted to no more than 25 MPH on roads with a posted speed limit of no more than 35 MPH …..

Increase age for golf cart operators to be 16 or be 15 with lerner's permit
 

Anyone who has operated a golf cart in TV for a few months has had an opportunity to see youngsters driving carts. I've seen very young (probably less than 14 yo) driving carts with other very young people as passengers and no adult present. I totally agree that this law would result in better safety and reduce accidents in golf cart communities. Our home course in Illinois has recently increased its requirements for youngster to have a valid drivers license before they can operate carts. I totally agree with this!

Our 12 year old grandson is going to be upset with me. He is coming for a week and expects to be able to drive the 4 passenger facing front golf cart that I’ve rented. It ain’t gonna happen.
When he is at home with his Dad he drives a Quad, Small Backhoe, Various Cars, a 125CC Motorcycle. The kid has skills. He’s going to have to perfect his swagger with his Dad. Not on my watch. I don’t care if he’s mad at me. If he isn’t mad about not driving it would just be something else. I’m setting him home in one piece.

Wow, thats refreshing. A responsible Grandparent telling the grandkid no. When it comes to this subject more should do the same.

We do expect a level of training while operating a vehicle on public roadways. If one does not have a license to drive, regardless of age, shouldn’t the law consider those that have had their license taken away either by family or BMV?

You ever see a 10 year old drive a golf cart up on somebody's lawn ?
I have.....it's not funny...

That was already illegal without this additional law.

Put another way: Raising the age from 14 to 16 will do nothing to keep a 10 year old from driving a golf cart up on somebody's lawn.

We regularly try to legislate perfection. Only trouble is perfection does not exist. Why 15 and not 18?

How many seniors should not be driving? Endless other posts note it says 20 MPH.

As previously posted we try to legislate perfection. Perfection does not exist.

In terms of the law, all should look it up. Ignorance of the law is not a defense.
Nor is someone with a pseudo-name on Talk of the Villages said that...........

All may want to check. Used to be the police were at the Savanna Center once a month and you could ask any such questions. Time, dates-I would check if interested.

Yes. And following an accident, one of the first things checked is whether or not the golf cart speed regulator has been altered. Interesting data for the personal injury attorneys and the insurance companies.

Agree, some folks here have lost ability to drive cars, leaving them with golf carts to keep their independence.
Anytime the govt gets involved, we seem to lose something.

Haven't seen a "10yo" drive on somebody's lawn but I have seen a neighbor driving a golf cart on my lawn because he didn't want to move his car over in his driveway and didn't want to drive over his own lawn. :mad:

Hmmm.... Do the police carry the necessary tools to access the speed regulator? Do they have the expertise to perform this check? If not, are you saying that golf carts are confiscated after accidents and taken away for this check?

Yeah! Dan would be'HONORED' to represent you!

It’s terminology. There is no such thing as a roadway. A local street is termed a “highway” and what we call highways are “limited access highways”

Yes.

Short portions on Morse Blvd and in neighborhoods. Most golf cart accidents I hear about are senior adults who have drank too much alcohol.