Golf Carts Can Be Dangerous If Misused

More and more, on country roads and urban streets, there seems to be a newer mode of transportation: the golf cart. Certainly, the golf craft isn’t new, having of course been used on golf courses for years and years. But they have recently become functional, getting people to stores and nearby shopping, as well as recreational, as many people are using them as makeshift all-terrain vehicles.

The problem is that despite all these new uses, the golf cart itself hasn’t changed much. It remains designed for its sole and primary purpose: moving people about the links on the course. That means that in many cases, golf carts are being used in ways that they were never intended to be used.

Not Built for Safety

The first problem with golf carts is what you can see with the naked eye: They have no protection. There are no doors, often no seat belts, and windows that are flimsy, if they are on the cart at all. The top of the cart does not have the reinforcement that a car has, which means that in major accidents, should the cart flip over, the drivers inside are not protected; the roof can easily crush inward, causing harm to those inside.

The carts themselves are not balanced for any type of terrain–even the terrain that can be encountered on a normal city street. The center of balance for the cart is high, and the carts can easily tip over in any kind of sharp turn or sudden maneuver.

The golf cart has shocks designed for the smooth surfaces of the golf course. The uneven pavement of city streets or sidewalks can jar a golf cart, throw passengers off the cart, or even damage the driving mechanisms of the cart so badly that the passengers are in danger.

Driver Carelessness

But beyond the mechanical and structural deficiencies, are the drivers. Many parents see the golf cart as a “substitute car,” allowing underage kids to ride them unsupervised, and with little or no training. Kids and teenagers may use the cart like it is a miniature drag racer, pushing the cart to its limits, and driving much faster than the speeds that the cart should safely be operated.

Who is Injured and Who is Liable

It’s not just people in the cart that can be injured–people outside of it can be as well. Young and reckless drivers can easily hit pedestrians and bicyclists, or cause surrounding cars to get into accidents.

It’s not just the drivers of carts that can be liable for accidents. When parents allow minors to operate golf carts, they can be liable for the accidents that are caused by their kids. The same goes with families who may not service a golf cart or maintain it the way they should, in cases where the cart’s faulty or neglected maintenance may cause injury.

Call The Law Office of Joseph Linnehan Jr. for help if you have been injured by or in a golf cart. Call our Boston personal injury lawyers today at 617-275-4200.

Source:

safetyandhealthmagazine.com/articles/20884-study-finds-golf-cart-related-injuries-are-common