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Golf Cart Accidents: How Often Does a Golf Cart Crash Occur?

How Often Do Golf Cart Accidents Happen?

How often does a golf cart accident happen? According to The Villages Department of Safety, there were 86 golf cart-related accidents reported in 2018 with most of these involving injuries. Many of these golf cart crashes involve a passenger or the driver jumping off or being ejected from the vehicle due to a tip over or a collision with another vehicle.

Traditionally, golf carts are to be used within the golf course to allow for transporting golf gear and players. However, their use outside of the golf course is becoming more common. With approximately 50,000 golf carts roaming its roads, many accidents involving these vehicles occur in The Villages.

Golf Cart CrashOne of the latest accidents of this nature, reported in July 2020, resulted in the death of a 79-year-old individual driving a golf cart that collided with an SUV. In another incident earlier this year, a golf cart driver was admitted in the hospital to be treated for injuries suffered in a collision with another motor vehicle. This is why it’s so important to contact a golf cart accident attorney in The Villages if you’ve been in an accident.

Many accidents involving these vehicles are fatal with the driver or an occupant of the cart losing their lives. Many of these accidents have been fatal with thousands requiring emergency attention and some individuals involved, often the driver or an occupant of the cart, losing their lives.

Are Golf Carts Dangerous?

While golf carts may not traditionally be seen as dangerous, they are considered a “dangerous instrumentality”. A dangerous instrumentality is any instrument that is hazardous by its nature and has the potential of causing harm when used carelessly. In Florida, this includes golf carts just like any other motor vehicle.

Some of the dangers of golf carts do not necessarily arise from the vehicle itself but from the lack of regulation, it is also true that most golf carts do not include safety features sufficient to prevent fatal injuries in case of an accident. For example:

  • Golf carts are not subject to federal regulation;
  • Depending on the age of the person, they do not need to have a driver’s license to operate them, which allows for minor and inexperienced drivers to have access to them. The law was recently updated so that an operator must be 15 years old with a valid learner’s permit or 16 with a driver’s license to drive a golf cart. However, individuals 18 and over simply need valid government issues ID.
  • Golf carts do not regularly have seatbelts installed
  • Consumption of alcohol while operating a golf cart

In other words, if you are asking yourself “are golf carts dangerous?” they very much can be.

Injuries Caused by a Golf Cart Crash

There are many ways to get injured in a golf cart crash. Being involved in a golf cart-related accident can cause injuries ranging from minor to fatal. An accident of this type can cause:

  • fractures,
  • soft tissue damage,
  • concussions,
  • brain damage, and
  • death

If you or a loved one has been injured in a golf cart accident, it is important to contact an golf cart crash attorney near you as soon as possible. An attorney can help you understand your legal rights and options, and can work to ensure that you receive fair compensation for any losses or injuries that you have suffered as a result of the golf cart crash. It is important to act quickly, as there may be time limits on when you can file a claim, and an golf carts accident lawyer can help you navigate the legal process and protect your interests.

Compensation for Golf Cart Crash Injuries

Again, there are many ways to get injured in a golf cart accident. Depending on the degree of the injuries suffered and the evaluation of the case by the court, an individual who was injured in a golf cart could recover:

  • Economic damages
  • Medical expenses
  • Lost wages

The amount of compensation that you may be able to receive will depend on the specific circumstances of your case, including the severity of your injuries and any contributing factors that may have led to the accident. An golf cart accident attorney near you can help you understand your legal rights and options, and can work to ensure that you receive fair compensation for any losses or injuries that you have suffered as a result of the accident.

Contact a Golf Cart Injury Attorney Near You

A The Villages personal injury lawyer near you with experience in advocating for golf cart accident victims can guide you through the process of recovering your damages. If you have suffered injuries as a result of an accident involving a golf cart, contact us at the Glover Law Firm today. Learn more about The Villages golf cart rules.

Not in The Villages? We also have golf cart injury lawyers in Ocala and many other practice areas.

Resources:

  • cedtechnologies.com/golf-cart-accidents-rise-still/
  • wuft.org/news/2018/12/07/in-the-villages-golf-carts-outnumber-people-but-golf-cart-seat-belts-are-rare/
  • clickorlando.com/news/local/2020/07/28/golf-cart-driver-dies-after-crash-with-suv-in-the-villages-troopers-say/
  • villages-news.com/2020/04/15/villager-ticketed-in-crash-that-sends-golf-cart-driver-to-hospital/
  • clickorlando.com/news/local/2020/07/28/golf-cart-driver-dies-after-crash-with-suv-in-the-villages-troopers-say/
  • https://www.gloverlawfirm.com/how-pip-insurance-works-in-florida-personal-injury-claims/
Gordon Glover

Attorney Gordon Glover is the founder of the Glover Law Firm Accident & Injury Lawyer in Ocala and The Villages, Florida. He has an AV-rating by Martindale-Hubbell, the highest rating as determined by other attorneys and the judiciary. Gordon has been recognized by Florida Super Lawyers, a distinction given to less than 2.5 % of the lawyers in Florida, and earned AVVO’s highest rating of “Superb 10/10.” Glover Law Firm also has a perfect A+ rating on the BBB (Better Business Bureau).