Who pays in a golf cart accident depends on the facts of the accident. Although there may be exceptions, the owner of the golf cart may generally be liable for accidents – even if someone else was operating the vehicle. Case Law Places a High Standard of Responsibility on Golf Cart Owners
How many golf cart accidents are there each year?
Feb 11, 2022 · Most of the time, when a golf cart driver causes an injury, the golf course owner or the cart owner cannot be held accountable for their actions. As an example, if a badly paved road causes a golf cart to spin around, topple over, or race down a hill, the golf course may be liable for any injuries caused as a result of the accident.
Does homeowner’s insurance cover golf carts?
How Long do You Have to Seek Compensation for a Golf Cart Accident? You may face one or more case-related deadlines. Florida Statutes § 95.11(3)(a) generally allows you to file a personal injury lawsuit no more than four years after your golf cart accident. Florida Statutes § 95.11(4)(d) generally allows you to file a wrongful death lawsuit within two years of a fatal golf cart accident.
Can you drive a golf cart on public roads?
A runaway golf cart poses additional problems: with gravity increasing the possible damage, the cart can tumble down the decline and eventually strike a crowd of people or other players. Reasons for Golf Cart Accidents. Improperly paved roads; Golf cart manufacturing defects; Improper maintenance of golf carts; Failing to remove damaged trees
How fast do golf carts go?
Jun 04, 2018 · The Florida Supreme Court dismissed a counterargument that the dangerous instrumentality doctrine did not apply because the golf carts collided on a privately-owned pathway rather than a public road by reasoning that a golf cart doesn’t “somehow [cease] to be … dangerous …” the instant its driver turns it off a public road and onto a private drive. Because …
Are golf cart injuries common?
Of golf cart-related injuries with a reported location, 70.3% occurred at sports facilities, 15.2% occurred on streets or public property, and 14.5% occurred around a home or farm. The number of golf cart-related injuries increased steadily each year, with an increase of 132.3% over the 17-year study period.
Does getting run over by a golf cart hurt?
These are painful, but generally don't result in major permanent injury or death. However, there are other less common results for a golf cart accident. For instance, if the golf cart (which can weigh 1000 pounds) were to run over your spine, it could result in spine injury or even a severed spine.Feb 18, 2013
Has anyone ever been killed by a golf cart?
An 11-year old South Carolina boy died when the golf cart he was driving ran off the road, flipped and the golf cart's canopy support landed on his neck, causing fatal traumatic asphyxiation.
Do golf carts tip over?
Golf carts are lighter weight and top-heavy; therefore, they can easily tip over when even a seemingly normal turn is taken too fast or sharp.May 25, 2018
Why are people running over people with golf carts?
People have begun running their friends over with golf carts in an attempt to go viral. The trend started on July 2, when the popular Instagram account “Best Vines” posted a video of a child being run over by another child in a kiddie car with the caption, “Would you run over your best friend for 2 million dollars?”Oct 7, 2017
Are golf carts safe?
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reports over 130 work-related incidents resulting in citations, injuries, and death associated with golf cart use. The increased power and lack of safety regulations on golf carts are likely adding to rising rates of accidents.
How many people died in golf carts per year?
How Bad is it? Golf cart accidents have increased by 300% since 1990. When consumer protection agencies first recorded the spike, there were around 5,000 serious golf cart accidents per year. Now, 30 years later, over 15,000 accidents require a trip to the emergency room each year.Jan 3, 2020
How many golf cart deaths are there per year?
Annually, 136 GC crashes occurred on average, resulting in 65 hospitalizations and death or disability of 9 persons. Of these crashes, 48% resulted in hospitalization, disability, or death per year (Table 2).Aug 19, 2020
Why do golf carts flip easily?
The danger with golf carts is that they are usually being driven on hilly uneven surfaces, which makes them easy to flip.Jul 27, 2011
Do golf carts tip easily?
Truth is if you follow events around golf cart mishaps, you would see several cases of tip over. The way carts flip gives the impression they are meant to tip over. However, most golf carts' accidents, including tip-over, are human errors.
Should golf carts have seat belts?
Federal Seatbelt Laws Should your cart fall into the LSV category, you need to install adequate safety features for it to be road-worthy. Federal law requires carts be equipped with seatbelts at every designated seating position as well as turn signals, headlights, brake lights, reflectors, a windshield, and a horn.Dec 27, 2017
How Common Are Golf Cart Crashes?
According to GolfCartSafety.com, there were at least twelve fatalities involving golf carts in the last six years. This pertains to just The Villages in Florida alone. If you were to look at statistics across the country, the numbers would be much higher.
Different Types of Golf Cart Accidents
Just as there are almost infinite ways a person can be injured in a car accident, there are many different types of golf cart accidents. In many ways, drivers and occupants of golf carts are more at risk of injury. Just a few of the types of golf cart accidents include:
Relevant Cases
In the case of Meister v. Fisher, Emerald Hills Country Club had rented golf carts out to both the Meister family and Paul Fisher. Fisher’s golf cart crashed into the Meisters’ golf cart, which Mr. Meister had braked so he could get a drink of water. This collision injured Mrs.
Handling a Golf Cart Accident Case
If you are involved in a golf cart accident, you should first gather evidence for your case, like photos of the accident scene and the golf cart (s), witness statements, police reports, and maintenance records and rental agreements for the golf cart.
How fast can a golf cart go?
Updated May 29, 2019. Small towns all across America have seen an influx in golf carts on the roadways. With a top speed of 15 miles per hour, you don’t typically think of golf carts as being involved in serious accidents.
Do insurance companies cover golf carts?
Automobile insurers often claim that their policies do not provide coverage for golf carts. Generally, the policies limit coverage to vehicles that are designed to be used on public streets and highways. Most manufacturers of golf carts specifically instruct owners not to use the golf cart on public roads.
GOLF CART ACCIDENTS
Like auto accidents, golf cart accidents can be devastating, even life-altering experiences. Property gets damaged and people get injured.
WHY CHOOSE EASTMOORE CRAUWELS & DUBOSE?
At Eastmoore Crauwels & DuBose, our attorneys have the necessary experience and knowledge. Insurance companies and other responsible parties will have strong legal representation who have defended these types of cases before. It is important for you to have someone as equally experienced on your side.
WHEN YOU MAY SUE
Statutes of limitations require that lawsuits be filed within a certain amount of time after the injury occurs.
What happens if you are on a golf cart?
Inappropriate behavior on the part of a driver could make that person accountable and liable for the accident. If you are a passenger on the golf cart, you are much less likely to be at fault. If the driver is a golf course employee, other parties could be named as liable, such as the golf course. Another issue to consider is who owns and maintains the cart itself. The owner of that golf cart could be held accountable for failing to properly maintain it or if a certain person used the golf cart and failed to report potential damage or wear and tear, they could also be held responsible. It can be hard to figure out liability issues without the support of an experienced golf cart accident lawyer.
Do golf carts require special training?
Golf carts require no special training and are often used by people who do not drive them regularly or on private property. This makes it really difficult to determine who is liable for a particular accident.
Document Everything
However, it can be often be a challenge to get the other party to pay for damage that they caused. After a car is hit and damaged with a golf cart, getting documentation is always important. Call the police if they will come to the scene, and have a police report filed if possible. Take pictures and talk to anybody else who witnessed the incident.
Speak to a Lawyer
Speak with a lawyer about the damage, and they will have more specific information about the state laws. If it is a fault state, there may be a way that a person could get their car fixed without having to make a claim on their insurance policy.
Get an Estimate
The last step is always to prove the damage that was done. Take the car to a shop and have an official estimate done of the needed repairs. Taking the car in can also help to prove later on what caused the damage, and help to make the case in court.
