Golf Cart Crashes in The Villages, March, 2014

Golf Cart Crashes March, 2014 The POA Website – http://www.poa4us.org Recent reports (ONLY THOSE THAT IN-VOLVED EJECTION, FALLING OUT OF THE GOLF CART, AND/OR INJURIES are provided) that we have received from Village residents, Public Safety, and area law enforcement. (Note: we cannot guarantee that the information we receive is completely accurate about all the details.) USE OF SEAT BELTS MIGHT KEEP YOU IN YOUR CART! Monday, January 13th – 2:50PM - An open letter to the POA: While driving with my wife on the trail behind Laurel Manor buildings, I entered the golf cart path traffic circle near Rt. 466. My wife, for some reason, thought I was going to go clockwise (left) around the circle. She hollered, "right," as I entered the circle properly, so I began to turn right (east) out of the traffic circle, thinking that this was what she meant. Since we originally intended to go 3/4 of the way around the circle and head west, she yelled, "left, left". I then twirled the steering wheel to the left and somehow managed to stay on the pavement, but the extremely QUICK TURN FLUNG MY WIFE FROM THE CART out onto the lawn, where she landed flat on her back, with her head slamming into the lawn, so hard it flung her glasses about twelve feet. I quickly pulled the cart off the pavement and ran to her. She was awake, but barely coherent. Others arrived from their carts to help. I called 911 and she was transported to the Ocala Trauma Center where an MRI showed a concussion. She stayed overnight for observation and came home the next after-noon. This short visit has, so far, been billed to us in the amount of $57,000!!! Three weeks after the accident, she is feeling no significant after effects. However, had her head hit pavement as hard as it hit the lawn, I am sure she would be permanently disabled or dead. We were very lucky. As referred to in the story about shutting the barn door after the horses escaped, we have just had seat belts installed on our cart. I wish we had taken heed of your messages in the previous POA Bulletins regarding seatbelts being recommended. Monday, January 13th – 6:15PM – This crash occurred at the intersection of Belvedere Boulevard and Weston Manor Drive. The driver of a green 2005 Club Car was stopped (facing east) in the intersection waiting to make a left turn onto Weston, and as he started his turn, he was hit on the side by a red 2005 Club Car. The 80 year old driver of the red cart stated he noticed the green cart stopped in the roadway waiting to turn left and attempted to pass it on the left at the same time the green cart turned. The driver in the green cart was not injured. After making contact, the red cart crossed Belvedere and jumped a nearby curb. THIS ACTION EJECTED THE DRIVER AND HIS PASSENGER INTO THE FRONT YARD OF A NEARBY RESIDENCE. FOR-TUNATELY, THEY LANDED ON GRASS AND NOT ON THE PAVEMENT. The driver, who was cited for careless driving, suffered minor injuries and refused transport, but his 80+ year old passenger was transported to The Villages Hospital for swelling to the left side of her face and to her left side. Monday, February 3rd – 5:30PM – a golf cart northbound on Belle Meade had merged into the automobile lane to turn left onto Legacy Lane into Chatham Village. The golf cart was stopped at the stop sign waiting on Legacy Lane traffic. An automobile westbound on Legacy attempted to turn left onto Belle Meade and cut the corner too short and struck the golf cart. THE OCCUPANTS WERE EJECTED FROM THE GOLF CART AND LANDED ON THE PAVEMENT, The driver was unconscious, on the pavement with head injuries, when the EMS arrived and the passenger had a shoulder injury. Both were transported to The Villages Hospital.

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