According to the National Golf Cart Association, golf carts are becoming a very popular mode of transportation – and not just on the course. Many people are in fact using the golf carts on public roads, in order to run errands or just to get around. Thanks to increasing gas prices and an increasing number of retirees, there is a huge growth in golf cart use, especially in residential areas. In fact, in some Florida residential communities, golf carts are a more popular form of transportation than cars.
Unfortunately, there is also growing concern about the number of car accidents involving golf carts. According to a research study completed at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, between 2002 and 2005, there were 48,000 golf cart-related injuries reported across the US. Men between the ages of 10 and 19, as well as people over the age of 80, were most likely to be in these types of accidents. According to police authorities, the National Golf Cart Association, and other experts have several suggestions for preventing these types of injuries:
1) Create new rules and safety instructions. According to the University of Alabama at Birmingham study, safety instructions are not adequately provided by golf cart retailers and manufacturers. Researchers felt that such instructions as well as safety standards for golf cart users would help to prevent accidents.
2) Create educational awareness programs for drivers and golf cart users alike. According to authorities, many golf cart users treat golf carts just like cars, and this can be dangerous. According to experts, golf carts should not be used of higher-traffic or higher-speed roads and even a turn at 11 mph can cause a golf cart user to be ejected from the cart. Drivers must also be taught to share the road with golf cart users and to be aware that such vehicles may be sharing some roads.
3) Enforce traffic rules and keep statistics. Many municipalities do not keep records of golf cart accidents, the way they do for Florida truck accidents and car accidents. More careful record keeping and stricter enforcement of rules for both golf cart users and drivers can help prevent many accidents.
If you have been injured in a Florida car accident, contact the Flaxman Law Group to get experienced representation and legal information. With law offices in Miami, Hollywood, and Homestead as well as thousands of South Florida personal injury cases successfully concluded, the Flaxman Law Group is the experienced choice for your case.