Golf Carts Caused 100 Childhood Injuries And One Death Over The Past Decade Golf carts are good for two things: helping golfers take a load off, and giving kids skull fractures. by Patrick A. Coleman Updated: 9.15.2017 Originally Published: 9.15.2017
How common are golf cart accidents and injuries?
According to a study published by the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, golf carts are responsible for as many as 15,000 injuries per year. Most often resulting from falls, collisions and limb entrapment, however, not all golf cart-related injuries are related to golf.
Where do golf cart-related injuries occur?
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.
How many golf injuries are caused by golf balls?
According to a study by Golf Digest, each year an estimated 40,000 golfers seek emergency treatment due to injuries caused by errant golf balls and flying club heads. High risk of severe injuries is also associated with the use of golf carts.
How many people were injured in the golf cart accident in Antioch?
7 Injured, 2 Seriously, in a golf cart accident in Antioch (PATCH). Man Hospitalized after golf cart flips over in a course in Ohio (Golfweek).
Has anyone died from a golf cart?
A 16-year old golfing community resident died after his golf cart blew a tire and hit a building head-on. A 28-year old woman died when her out-of-control golf cart made a sharp turn, ejecting her into the road and causing a massive fatal traumatic golf cart head injury.
Are golf carts safer than cars?
With No Seatbelts, Airbags, Car Body or Rollover Bar, Golf Carts Can Be Deadly. Most golf carts-along with Neighborhood Electric Vehicles (NEVs) or "low-speed vehicles"-offer very little protection to passengers.
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.
Does getting hit 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.
Can 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.
Are seat belts safe on golf carts?
Golf carts (when used on golf courses) are typically not equipped with seatbelts because of their need to allow passengers to enter and exit the vehicle frequently with ease. Therefore, the ANSI (American National Standards Institute) golf cart safety standard, Z130.
Can kids ride on golf cart?
Never allow a baby or children under the age of 6 to ride in your golf cart. Do not allow drivers under the age of 16, or those who are untrained, to operate the cart. Make sure your golf cart is equipped with safety belts and all-wheel brakes.
Do you need a car seat for a golf cart?
(California Vehicle Code Section 27360.) Children under the age of 8 must be secured in a car seat or booster seat in the back seat. Children who are 8 years of age OR have reached 4'9” in height may be secured by a booster seat, but at a minimum must be secured by a safety belt.
Do golf carts have a high center of gravity?
Golf carts have a high center of gravity and are susceptible to rollovers, especially when turning. Additionally, the majority of golf carts are not equipped with seat belts.
Do golf cart owners live in gated communities?
While this might have been true at one point, even major golf cart manufactures such as Club Car acknowledge that golf car owners now include “families who live in gated communities, automotive dealers, apartment complexes and other individuals and business owners.”.
Do golf carts go off the putting green?
A major factor for this increase is that while golf carts are more often found off the putting green, industry standards still define, and design, golf carts under an incorrect assumption that they are strictly used to transport individuals in the game of golf. While this might have been true at one point, even major golf cart manufactures such as ...
How many people were hurt by golf carts in 2006?
The American Journal of Preventive Medicine, however, reports that injuries from being hit by or falling off of golf carts surged 132 percent from 1990 to 2006. Nearly 150,000 people, ranging in age from two months to 96 years, were hurt in golf cart accidents during that time.
What is the number to call for a golf cart accident?
If you have a case involving a golf cart, call us at 1-800-780-4221 or contact us here.
How fast can a golf cart go?
One reason, according to the Journal, may be that golf carts have become much faster and more powerful. Reaching speeds of up to 25 miles per hour and traveling as far as 40 miles on a single charge, golf carts now offer quick travel in a variety of venues.
Where are golf carts used?
As noted by the study’s authors, golf carts are routinely used at sporting events, hospitals, airports, parks, college campuses, businesses and military bases. In some gated and retirement communities, golf carts have become the primary means of transportation.
Do you need a driver's license to drive a golf cart in Florida?
Golf carts typically aren’t subject to federal regulations, however, and users often don’t even need a driver’s license to operate one (in Florida, children as young as 14 can legally drive a golf cart). Many golf carts don’t have seat belts or stability mechanisms, and a common injury involves people falling off, particularly from the back.
Do golf carts have seatbelts?
Many golf carts don’t have seat belts or stability mechanisms, and a common injury involves people falling off, particularly from the back. A study in Georgia showed alcohol was a factor in about 59% of golf cart accidents.
Who is the coauthor of the study on golf carts?
Coauthor on the study Dr. Mariano Garay of Penn State College of Medicine says he hopes this research will lead to more rigorous safety guidelines, and sound the alarm for parents who are still unaware of the threat that golf carts may pose.
Why are golf carts good for kids?
Golf carts are good for two things: helping golfers take a load off, and giving kids skull fractures. Kids are increasingly injured by golf carts, according to new research presented at the American Academy of Pediatrics. That’s not because 12-year-olds are getting hammered on the fairway and driving into water traps.
Do golf carts have rollovers?
At the same time, golf carts lack certain safety features. “They don’t have a roll-over structure and often parents treat them as toys and not a real vehicle that could be dangerous.”. Researchers conducted a retrospective study of 11 years of ER data from the state of Pennsylvania.
What are some examples of golf cart accidents?
Here are a few examples of news articles about golf cart accidents that have happened recently in 2019: 1 Monticello 16-year-old teen dies in a golf cart accident (WCTV). 2 7 Injured, 2 Seriously, in a golf cart accident in Antioch (PATCH). 3 Man Hospitalized after golf cart flips over in a course in Ohio (Golfweek).
How old was Monticello when he died in a golf cart accident?
Here are a few examples of news articles about golf cart accidents that have happened recently in 2019: Monticello 16-year-old teen dies in a golf cart accident (WCTV).
How many states have golf cart laws?
Laws and regulations for golf carts differ from state to state. At least two dozen states have already passed laws allowing local governments to authorize golf cart usage on public roads.
What is the speed limit for golf carts in Ontario?
Because of previous accidents in Ontario, the city has enacted rules to prohibit golf carts on any street with a speed limit over 35 MPH and on streets with highway numbers.
Is it safe to drive a golf cart while intoxicated?
People may think that because golf carts are small and presumably safe, and because they’re often driven on private roads/courses it would be okay to drive while intoxicated. Think Again.
Can you use a golf cart on a public road at night?
These laws, of course, come with additional restrictions. For example, many states prohibit the use of golf carts on public roads at night, and many states limit the usage areas only to low-speed roads.
Who invented the golf cart?
The inventor, a man by the name of Lyman Beecher, used his expertise in electrical engineering to put together the first ever golf cart. He frequently played golf on a hilly terrain and was afraid that he might not be able to walk the course on his own as he aged.
147,696 Injuries from 1990 to 2006
Children Account For One Third of All Injury Victims
- Even more unsettling than the above statistic is that small children and teenagers account for almost one-third of all golf cart-related injuries and accidents (31.2%, as reported by the American Journal of Preventative Medicine). This harsh reality is due in part to the legal age at which teens can operate golf carts (age 14 in Florida, and even age 13 in some other states). A common sigh…
Rollovers Account For 10% of All Accidents
- Complete golf cart rollovers account for a substantial one-tenth of all golf cart accidents; these types of accidents often result in the most serious golf cart injuries, and sometimes even death. This is largely due to the lack of golf cart seat belt regulation in the state of Florida. As golf carts are not fully considered motor vehicles, but rather equipment used for sport, they are exempt fro…
Modern Estimates Average Around 15,000 Injuries Per Year
- In a report by the Consumer Products Safety Commission, it was found that golf cart related injuries occur in around 15,000 cases every year. This is at a greater ratio than determined by the 2007 National Electronic Injury Surveillance System study because these injuries are on the rise, and have been for years as golf cart use for general transpo...