Most people wouldn’t expect golf carts to be especially dangerous. After all, golf carts move slowly and aren’t very big. However, a lack of safety equipment combined with reckless driving has created a surprising number of golf cart accidents. That’s why anyone driving a golf cart should be aware of these unbelievable golf cart accident facts.
Fact 1: There Are 15,000 Golf Cart Injuries Each Year
Golf carts are a booming, billion-dollar industry. Golf carts have become an exclusive yet affordable mode of transportation for resorts, private islands, retirement communities, and golf courses.
More people are driving golf carts in urban centers. These areas, especially those with sharp turns, dramatically increases the risk of an accident. Golf carts simply can’t handle U-turns or “donuts”.
The rate of golf cart accidents has doubled every decade for the past 30 years. Now there are more than 15,000 golf cart accidents and injuries per year.
Fact 2: 30% of Golf Cart Accidents Injure Children
Driving a golf cart requires the same care as driving an automobile. Nobody should operate a golf cart without a driver’s license. Despite this, about 4,500 children suffer injuries or wrongful death in golf cart accidents every year.
The reason is a combination of negligence on the part of the golf cart owner and the child’s stature. Children normally aren’t tall enough to brace themselves on the floor or heavy enough to stay in their seats. A rough road or a sudden turn can send children flying from the vehicle.
Fact 3: Golf Cart Accidents Cause Head and Neck Injuries
Most car crash injuries result from bodies impacting with the vehicle. Most golf cart injuries result when passengers are ejected from their seats.
The issue lies with a lack of safety equipment. Without seatbelts, passengers rely on the seat-side handle to keep themselves in place.
Grabbing the sidebar creates a mechanical lever. When the force of a turn sends a passenger in the same direction as that lever, their bodies bend at the waist and they are thrown from the vehicle. As a result, many hit the road head-first.
If you or someone you love suffered serious injuries in a golf cart accident, you might have a case. If you’d like to schedule a free case consultation with an experienced The Villages personal injury attorney from Ayres, Cluster, & Collins, please send us an email or call (352) 329-8668.