[samhass]

There was a bad cart accident tonight in front of Palmer CC. It appeared that two golf carts
hit head on and a lady was thrown from one of them. It happened right around 7PM. A helicopter landed and took the female away from what we could see. It's 9.38 now and the police are still there.

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by samhass

There was a bad cart accident tonight in front of Palmer CC. It appeared that two golf carts
hit head on and a lady was thrown from one of them. It happened right around 7PM. A helicopter landed and took the female away from what we could see. It's 9.38 now and the police are still there.

Oh, Sam, I'm so sorry to hear that. Often golf cart accidents result in head injuries which can be very serious. I'll definitely say a prayer for the injured woman and vow to drive more defensively.

[samhass]

I wish seatbelts were required in all carts.
Someone said a golf cart death was reported in todays paper as well. I did not see it.

[DickY]

It was in today's paper, the person did die, accident was in August, single cart.

[billethkid]

I would be interested to know if the carts involved were regular 19.8 mph rated carts or the higher speed ones. I am a 3 mile a day walker every morning on the multimodal path from Bridgeport to Bonnybrook or to LSL and back. There is not a day goes by that I don't see a near miss because of the higher speed cart trying to get by and mis judging .
I am rather tired of the do nothing, don't upset those that have 'em crowd.....all carts rated above 19.8 mph should be illegal. The owners given a reasonable period to get them retrofitted and within regulation. That will take well above 50% of the accident potential off the road.

BTK

[zcaveman]

It does not matter if they are the 19 MPH or higher speed carts. When two carts collide, there is a transfer of energy. The carts stop and the bodies go. Caution is the only answer.

People have to learn that the golf cart is not a toy.

[beady]

We came by the accident after the fact tonight. I think we came through about 7:30. Police and Fire were still there. One cart was badly damaged,the whole front was bashed in and the windshield appeared to be completely gone.

Sam...I agree the carts need seat belts.

BTK..I also agree with you...the super charged carts should be banned, to dangerous.

[Sidney Lanier]

Tragic. We installed seat belts in our cart--and we use them and insist that our passengers use them as well. But this is only a help; it's not a solution to poor judgment and poor driving....

[Muncle]

Remember when the golf cart seat belt issue was discussed several months ago. There were several "seemingly" knowledgeable people who posited that belts actually increased the danger in golf cart accidents. Don't remember if any consensus was reached or if there were definitive arguments for either side. Naturally most of it was emotion-based postings.

[Russ_Boston]

The thread is here: https://www.talkofthevillages.com/sm....html#msg39196

Yes, some people insisted that they were taught NOT to use belts. Well they may have been told that but your own eyes tell you that not wearing them has its dangers. Some good links about safety in that thread.

My choice: use belts (shoulder belts if possible).

[MnGirl]

Head On? On such a wide path? Speed didn't come to mind as much as alcohol???

[rsetterlund]

Maybe helmet should be required as well as seat belts.

I do not understand why some have to go so fast. :dontknow: I say slow down and enjoy life. Most of us have had to rush all our working lives now is the time to take it easy.

[Russ_Boston]

Slow down yes. But that doesn't mean that a head-on crash at 14MPH is safe. The
damage from a collision happens because of the kinetic energy that must be dissipated. Kinetic energy is proportional to the square of the velocity, so when a cart stops from an initial speed of 20 mph it has more than twice as much energy to dissipate as there would be if the cart were traveling 14 mph. (20^2 divided by 16^2 = 2.04 - this assumes the mass of the carts are the same). That energy has to go somewhere when the cart stops.

Sealt belts for me. I'll risk the rollover entrapment issue!

[Cassie325]

We were at the accident last night too....it looked very scary! Several ambulances, police and helicopter! When you see the copter you know it is not good. I did not see anything about this in the paper today though....

There were many people just watching....we asked permission to scoot through as Catherine was with us. She was VERY upset so I didn't want her to see anymore then we already had.

We said our prayers for the lady and anyone else involved. Cat asked the angels to form a circle around the woman we saw so she would be well taken care of...

I did read the article in the paper the other day that spoke of a 60 something year old man...on his golf cart alone....somewhere on Buena Vista....didn't state north or south of 466...he did not collide into any other cart....just flipped his own....scary stuff!

We have a seat belt in the back seat....Cat fell out one time as we were going about 2 mph as the cart jerked a little at start up ....it only took that one time...seat belts were installed immediately!!

[784caroline]

I am surprised there has not been a head on crash on the Morse Blvd bridge between LSL and 466. That is a VERY NARROW stretch of golf path and one can easily turn into the barrier and and hit a cart comming in the opposite direction.