Braking hazards of golf cars and low speed vehicles

Incidence of Golf Cart-Related Injury in the United States

“…For example, in the state of Alabama, it is illegal for any "nontaggable vehicle" such as a golf cart to be operated on any public thoroughfare; however, the Florida Department of Highway Safety has a statute that allows the use of a modified golf cart (LSV) that has a top speed of 20 to 25 mph on public roads with a speed limit of 35 mph or less. 18 The statute, however, also allows for any municipality or county to disallow this privilege if the governing body of the county or municipality determines that such prohibition is necessary in the interest of safety. 19 Currently, 17 states (Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Michigan, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Utah, and Virginia) allow LSVs to be operated on public thoroughfares with a speed limit of 35 mph or less, whereas one state (Kansas) allows LSVs to be used on roads with a speed limit of up to 40 mph.…”

“…It has been shown that a golf cart traveling downhill at speeds greater than 15 mph can easily become yaw-directionally instable and can easily enter a skid and overturn with improper braking. 18 It is also relatively easy for the consumer to modify their golf cart to have a maximum speed that is in the 20 mph to 25 mph range. When a golf cart has this higher maximum speed it is considered to be a low-speed vehicle (LSV) by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and is subject to some minor safety regulations from which regular golf carts are exempt.…”

Head Injuries in School-Age Children Who Play Golf

“…Golf carts are traditionally used for transportation on golf courses, however, they have more recently been used for recreational and alternative transportation purposes in neighborhood and beach communities. There are approximately 13,000 annual golf cart–related emergency room visits each year, and 40% of these involved children under the age of 16 (Seluga & Long, 2009). Also, around 50% of the golf cart–related injuries in children are from falls from a moving golf cart.…”

“…Also, around 50% of the golf cart–related injuries in children are from falls from a moving golf cart. Seluga and Long (2009) attribute this high incidence rate to the fact that golf carts are largely unregulated. Unlike all-terrain vehicles or other form of personal transport vehicles, there are no laws regarding seat belts, minimum age requirements, or other safety measures in golf carts.…”

Motorized mobility scooters: the use of training/intervention and technology for improving driving skills in aging adults – a mini review

“…Golf cart accidents have substantially contributed to craniofacial trauma and spinal cord injuries, and subsequent hospitalization, morbidity, and mortality [19][20][21]. In a study by Selaga et al providing braking only for rear wheels of golf carts was suggested as a reason for instability and rollover [22].…”