Golf carts as a traveling machine
 

As most of the golf carts driven in The Villages are designed for golf course travel, what changes should be considered to make them safer for use as a traveling machine? I haven’t purchased a golf cart and will probably rent until I become a full timer. So, my experience with them is very limited. Should these modifications be made mandatory by the District governments to reduce insurance costs and provide a safer environment for everyone? I understand that they are looking into golf cart safety.

For starters, I believe and have heard on this site that seat belts are a must. Should they be made mandatory?

I am not yet convinced they add to safety. Kind of like being strapped on a bike. But I have an open mind.

Buy a used cart. You will want a second one later.(After all you have two airplanes, ;) )AND drive as if everyone is nuts, because they are.

I'll leave others with more experience of modifying carts to really address your question but, to my mind, the most important consideration is to drive with extreme care - carts are fun, but they are not toys - and to assume that no-one else out there is paying attention

It is my understanding that many people use them as cars. As the volume of cart traffic increases, the likelihood of accidents also increases. It seems to me that everyone should be concerned and try to be proactive to implement changes to increase the safety of golf carts used as transportation vehicles.

A golf cart weights one heck of a lot more that a bicycle and travels a lot faster than I can pedal.

I can't imagine any cart sold locally not having the basic requirements to be driven as transportation. That is, headlights, turn signals, windshield. An enclosure package is a nice to have but not mandatory. Seatbelts are a wise move but not mandatory. Windshield wipers would be lovely but don't think you can get them with a fold down windshield. Street legal carts are another story and ill-advised, in my opinion.

As has been said, do remember they are not toys and drive very, very defensively, whether car or cart, but especially cart.

I would add two observations to the discussion as having rented a white numbered golf cart. Rear visibility using the installed mirror is limited and even more so when the enclosure is installed. Though they said the cart would go 20 M.P.H., I had the pedal to the metal and was still being passed. The cart didn’t have a speedometer. Better rear view mirrors and a speedometer in every golf cart?

Google: "golf cart crash tests". You will change your mind

Personally, hate the word MANDATORY.

If YOU feel safer/better with seat belts in your golf cart then by all means
get them.

Not trying to be a wise guy just my opinion!

I agree with you as an RC pilot who is not looking forward to all of the new rules governing flying drones. Yet, some things must change. Golf carts were designed for use on golf courses. Changes have and should be made to make them safer to use on the Village cart paths.

Should more equipment be required on carts, it’s up to someone to decide. Visit this discussion on who rules the cart paths -> https://www.talkofthevillages.com/fo...aths-tv-33195/

Headlights, taillights, brake lights and a horn.

I'm not a big fan of government mandates. Seat belts are an option as are motorcycle helmets. Golf carts are not cars. They will never be as safe as cars. Trying to make them as safe as cars is foolish. What's next mandating seat belts on bicycles? If you ride a motorcycle, bicycle or golf cart, you are assuming certain risks. If you want to be perfectly safe, don't ride any of them. And don't forget, golf carts are limited to under 20 mph. Even though many may go a bit faster than that 22 or 23 mph doesn't increase the safety hazard by very much.

I too am not a big fan of government mandates.

As a private pilot of 40 plus years, I have had to comply with a multitudinous list of rules, regulations and equipment mandates to be allowed to fly. Yet, some of those have probably kept me alive.

Golf carts are not cars but here in the Villages they are being advertised and used as such. Certain equipment items on carts might lead to a safer cart environment at little additional cost. As the Districts are looking at cart safety, apparently something bad is a happening. Many factors come into play so that it’s not always just the pilot or driver at fault.

How do you know how fast you are going without a speedometer?

there are apps for phones that will tell you a speed.......very accurate.

And Warranties can be voided.

Insurance costs on a cart is about $100 to $150 per year. You can get it through you're auto, home or a stand alone policy. We went through Villages Insurance for our home and when we bought a cart we got a separate golf cart policy from Villages Insurance written by Foremost Insurance. First year was 2011 it was $140, since then it has only been about $100.