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.