DELRAY BEACH, Fla. — It’s no shock that golf carts are fashionable in the Sunshine State, as there are greater than 1,000 golf programs in Florida.
But the carts aren’t simply getting used on the inexperienced anymore.
“It’s just the convenience of it,” Delray Beach resident Rob Carey mentioned.
Carey spent fairly a bit of cash to improve from a golf cart to a low-speed automobile.
“I had one that wasn’t quite as legal,” Carey mentioned.
The distinction is that his new automobile is authorized to drive on roads with most speeds of 35 mph.
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“The problem that we’re seeing with golf carts on public roadways is they were never designed for that,” Martin County Sheriff William Synder mentioned.
Thousands of individuals are injured in golf carts accidents yearly.
“I would say in the last two years, our office has seen an intake in golf cart accidents,” legal professional Michael Pike mentioned. “Unfortunately, one of our golf cart accidents involved a death.”
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Pike mentioned golf cart use has expanded to high school drop-off and pick-up. People are utilizing them to run errands and extra children are driving them.
The American Academy of Pediatrics mentioned injuries among children are rising, and greater than 6,500 are harm yearly.
“We had one fairly serious injury recently and it could have been a lot worse,” Snyder mentioned.
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Snyder mentioned that in early August, a young person was thrown from a golf cart whereas driving on a public roadway and crashing into automotive.
“There’s some personal responsibility that must attach to this,” Snyder mentioned. “We have parents that are setting a terrible example for their children.”
It’s unlawful for a golf cart to be pushed on a public highway except it’s retrofitted to fulfill security requirements. Brake lights, headlights and switch alerts are all a part of the security tools that makes a golf cart avenue authorized. These golf carts additionally want a license plate, registration and a licensed driver.
“There’s probably more people in illegal golf carts than we could ever effectively enforce against,” Snyder mentioned.
While it is a fast handy drive, Carey agrees that excessive warning is at all times crucial.
“You really have to be very mindful of your surroundings,” Carey mentioned.
To view the Florida Deparment of Highway Safety and Motor Vehichles full checklist of guidelines for low pace autos click on here.