I saw many Negative and positive comments and I am glad you cleaned this mess up Thanks , from a Navy retired Paramedic

What a really sad situation. I hope a full recovery for them.
Yesterday I saw a four passenger golf cart with two adults in the front and two kids in the rear seat. One child looked about 5 yrs old. The other child looked about 8 and was STANDING up talking to grand parents in the front. All the while driving 15/18 mph.

Rules don’t correct STUPID !!!!!! We’ve seen far too many visitors on carts who don’t know the rules. It is the residents responsibility for how their guests operate their vehicles. They should make sure they discuss this with guests. These are vehicles - not toys.

This could be compared to the gun argument (No, I am NOT trying to open that so don't get mean and jump all over me..LOL !), I am simply trying to add that people are people. Some will use seat belts, some will not. How to you legislate the WAY people drive golf carts ? I don't think a day goes by I don't see truly awful things with carts and "their" people. At Easter time the renters on the block allowed their young children (oldest looked about 12 ? 14?) to circle the block at 11:30 p.m. until after midnight, in a "wild" manner (two younger ones hanging onto rack made for clubs). The adults had to still be awake, but no one did a thing for 45 minutes. So, people are people, making laws about carts having seat belts does not solve it. If it saves a life, that's a blessing, but I had a friend in Colorado who was horribly burned when her gas cart turned over and "exploded" (reason was never determined), had she not had on a seat belt she would have been able to escape from under the cart. Everyone has a story of someone saved and someone hurt with ATV's, carts, etc. SLOW down, don't act so superior because you have found a way to increase the speed of your cart, be kind to others, don't take chances passing other carts just to reach a destination literally seconds before the cart you passed. We don't need laws, if people want to spend $200 more that is wonderful, but let's see what kindness and patience might do.

When will people —residents and guests—ever realize that in The Villages, golf carts are NOT toys. Yes, they are fun, but Also are a vital means of transportation down here. But so many people seem to think that safety rules of the road don’t need to apply to the carts. Unfortunately, not all persons are equipped with “common sense” but they still endanger others by driving the carts as “fun toys”!

Sounds like speed and inexperience were factors.:ohdear:

Many people drive golf carts as if they were driving their car. They shouldn't do that. Carts do not have the safety features as those found in cars. I also see a sense of entitlement. Many think that they can share the road with cars equally which causes many accidents. I almost hit a golf cart the other day because they came out of the golf cart lane to turn left right in front of me. Thank God I have great brakes. I beeped at him and he just waved me off. Although golf cart drivers are Villagers, they do not have the right of way. So, in my opinion, attitude plays a big role in many accidents.

A several golf cart drivers have been killed, when they turn left directly from the golf cart lane--driving a cart is a totally different game, from driving a car--there is VERY little room for error

We had our 4-seater golf cart installed with seat belts front & back. Peace of mind. We also had the directional lights retrofitted with automatic "off" mechanism. Prior to that fix, I kept forgetting to turn off the directionals causing others to turn in front of me thinking I was still making a right turn. I have forgotten to turn off the headlights a few times which drains the battery. We have a gas golf cart. Remember: a golf cart is NOT like a car. It takes practice.

Yep. People still do it. See it every day.

I don't know where you got this story, but you are full of it!! I happen to know the people involved. It was an unfortunate "accident', the girls were not both his daughters and THEY WERE SEATBELTED! And...they were not ALL TRANSPORTED to Ocala Regional!! How rude this is! Just where did you get this story, and don't say the paper because that was incorrect also. And how about feeling a little bad for the driver who was hurt and very distraught. And the parents and grandparents? There are accidents, ya know. Hopefully one won't befall you some day and we won't be sitting in judgement on you!

Thank you for the additional information. :thumbup:


I hope all recover soon. :ho:

Thanks. According to one of the posts above, the gentleman first on the scene, he said 1 girl wasn't belted. I guess he would know. I thought they both were. Regardless, I know the father and he would in no way be driving crazy. It was an ACCIDENT...they happen. Anyway, they are all OK. Thanks...

You legislate it the same way you legislate driving cars. Require a license, registration, and insurance. Have actual laws, and enforce them. Require accountability for lawbreakers.

There should be no "this lady lets her 12-year-old kid drive the golf cart all summer long on the streets in the Villages of Hacienda. That kid should've been spotted by or reported to the police within the first couple of days, and the grandmother given a ticket for traffic violation and arrested for risk of injury to a minor.

Until there is legislated and enforced accountability, there will be people breaking the rules and there's not a damned thing you can do about it other than complain.

The State of Florida allows children to drive golf carts at the age of 14. It is against the law to drink and drive ANYTHING. Adding more laws sometimes helps and sometimes like the laws against drugs, it doesn't change much at all. I think that driving with full attention is what you should do and I should do and everyone should do.