Golf cart accidents happen, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t avoid them.
The number of reported golf cart accidents is continually on the rise, which raises the public concern about golf cart safety. With the advent of faster golf carts and the practice of using golf carts in airports, school campuses, fairgrounds, and even city streets, more accidents are prone to happen.
One of the more common golf cart accidents is passenger ejection. This usually happens when the driver makes a hard left turn causing the passenger to be ejected from the right hand side of the cart.
Golf cart seat belts aren’t mandatory, and hand-holds and body restraints only work if the passenger is paying attention, thus increasing the odds of an ejection under certain conditions.
If you want your golf cart to be street legal then seat belts are required. This is a good thing because being ejected onto the asphalt into on-coming traffic is a lot more dangerous than being ejected onto the lush green fairway of the 18th hole.
Either way, if you modify your golf cart by increasing its speed then it is highly recommended that you have seat belts installed. It’s one less thing you’ve got to worry about when your crazy friends take your golf cart for a spin.
Role-overs are another typical accident associated with golf cart usage. These tend to happen on slick and hilly terrain, especially if your cart has a sub-par braking system. For instance, if your cart has only a front or rear braking system and you attempt to slam on your brakes when driving full speed down a steep grade, your brakes may not be able to slow your acceleration which in turn would cause you to fish tail out of control with the possibility of rolling if you make any sharp turns.
If you plan on doing any extreme golf cart driving, whether it be on or off-road, the best way to avoid any damage during a potential roll-over is to install a golf cart roll cage and a four wheel braking system.
The four wheel braking system greatly increases your braking efficiency in all conditions, and a roll cage will minimize damage to your cart if your were to roll.
Also, the proper golf cart tires for your driving conditions will reduce the probability of sliding and fish-tailing.
Golf carts don’t usually have many safety standards, which means it’s usually the owners responsibility to take the proper precautions. But if you would like your golf cart to be street legal then there is a laundry list of requirements that your cart must meet to be considered safe. So you would definitely want to check with your local jurisdiction to find out what is required before you start driving your cart around town.
The best way to avoid golf cart accidents is by being a safe and conscious driver. By knowing the rules and driving safely you can help reduce the statistics.
No matter how safe of a driver you are, however, golf cart insurance is always a good idea. Because when golf cart accidents happen, damage and injuries usually follow, and that means someone has to pay. So you may as well be prepared for the worst under any circumstance.