Golf Cart Safety Blog

For some crazy reason, I am stopped at social functions and events by friends who ask incredulously “are you still handling golf cart cases?” The truth, I admit, is that I am. The uber truth is that I think I am becoming a golf cart lawyer. For the past thirteen (13) years, I have handled golf cart related injury cases. People who do not know about The Villages with its estimated 90,000 residents and 50,000 golf carts really cannot fathom how a golf cart could possibly be involved in an injury case. The sad reality is that it happens far too often with very serious injuries resulting. As a result of seeing entirely too many injuries from golf cart accidents, I created a forum to promote golf cart safety. Please check out www.golfcartsafety.com sometime soon.

Reprinted with permission from the Property Owners Association of The Villages monthly Bulletin:

Thursday, August 9th – Incident occurred at Del Mar and Panama Place in the evening. Two young men (both 22) in a golf cart. One was driving and the Lady Lake Police Department is still investigating the incident to determine whether the passenger was standing up or sitting in the cart while it was going down the street, the speed of the cart, whether or not alcohol was involved, etc. The passenger lost his balance (and/or grasp) and wound up falling onto the pavement head first. Unconscious and bleeding from orifices in the head, he was flown to Orlando Medical Center’s Trauma Unit, but did not survive.

Saturday, August 11th – A male resident of Calumet Village, aged 70, was a passenger in a cart being driven by another Villages resident in the roundabout at Buena Vista Boulevard and El Camino Real at 8:30 PM. As the operator drove the cart through the roundabout in the outside lane, the Calumet Grove passenger fell out of the cart and struck his head on the curb. He was taken to The Villages Medical Center where he died of his injuries.

Reprinted with permission from the Property Owners Association of The Villages monthly Bulletin:

Recent reports (ONLY THOSE THAT INVOLVED 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.)

June 20th – 1:50pm – Parr Drive at the Bank of America. Golf cart pulled out onto Parr Drive into the path of an oncoming car. Minor damage. Minor injuries. No ejection.

June 20th –3:40pm – Tunnel under CR 466 at Laurel Manor. Actually, a golf cart came down the path to turn into the tunnel headed north and immediately found an auto-mobile in the tunnel. It so took him aback, that he jammed the brakes, cranked the steer-ing wheel and overturned the cart. He did not hit the car. The cart driver was dumped out of his cart and had some minor abrasions and ankle pain, but signed a treatment re-fusal. Evidently the auto driver thought he was in the right place until he got half way through the tunnel.

June 20th – 9:57pm – Golf cart path at Buena Vista and Bailey Trail. Driver made a hard turn and flipped the golf cart on its side. The driver was dumped out of the cart but denied any injury.

June 27th – 10:15pm – Three teen-age males were driving a golf cart through the Sweet Bay parking lot when it flipped onto its side. The police report stated that the golf cart was on its four wheels and it had extensive damage (estimated at $1500) when he arrived. The young men stated that it tipped over but they placed it back onto its wheels prior to the arrival of law enforcement. The driver had a minor cut on his cheek, all three had scrapes, but declined medical attention. An independent witness confirmed to the officer that the cart tipped over as the driver made a left turn in the parking lot. (Tire marks on the pavement indicate that some action other than a simple left hand turn might have caused the crash.) The driver’s grandfather was contacted and the golf cart was towed home.

July 10th – 11:25am – A 93 year old male was operating a golf cart east bound on the golf cart path that parallels Colony Boulevard east of Morse Blvd. The driver lost control of the golf cart, hit the curb and then went into the wooden fence on the north side of the path. According to a witness the golf cart then overturned. EMS responded, advised that the driver appeared to have gotten overheated, and transported him to The Villages Regional Hospital. (NOTE: This is the second crash we have reported which appears to be related to dehydration effects on the driver. --According to the lead author of one study, older people are more susceptible to dehydration. That's because, after age 50 or so, our ability to recognize thirst decreases and our kidneys lose some of their precision in regulating the body's water supply, says Lawrence Armstrong, a researcher with the University of Connecticut Human Performance Laboratory. Some common medications add to the problem, including diuretics (taken for high blood pressure), antihistamines and certain psychiatric drugs. Finally, people who start drinking less because of bladder control problems are at even higher risk. Know the symptoms before you get behind the wheel.)

 

Reprinted with permission from the Property Owners Association of The Villages monthly Bulletin:

These are recent reports (ONLY THOSE THAT INVOLVED 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.)

May 24th – 5:30 PM – Single golf cart in the tunnel at Buena Vista and Bailey Trail. Cart driver cut the corner too sharply and the cart tipped over onto her leg. The cart was lifted off of her by bystanders. No major injuries, but she was transported for evaluation.

June 1st – Vehicle #2 (V2), a golf cart traveling westbound in the golf cart lane on Rio Grande Avenue, was approaching the intersection of Lisbon Lane. Vehicle #1 (V1), also a golf cart was stopped at the stop sign facing southbound on Lisbon Lane at the intersection of Rio Grande. V1 failed to yield the right-of-way to V2 which caused the left front of V1 to strike the right rear tire of V2. V2 then flipped over onto its side coming to rest in the middle of the intersection. The driver of V1 stated that the blinker to turn right (north) onto Lisbon Lane was activated and she thought he was going to turn so she pulled out into traffic. The driver of V2 was removed from the cart and transported to the Villages Hospital. The driver of V1 was cited for failing to yield the right-of-way.

June 11th – 5:15 PM – Single golf cart crash on the cart path that runs alongside Buena Vista Boulevard, just beyond the Ambassador Shack on the Riley golf cart path, between the "Shack“ and the cart path. This is where you would turn right to go down to the Palmer driving range. Driver on the rec trail was headed home. He passed out while driving and drove off the path into the bushes and a fence. Driver stated that he had been playing golf all day but said that he had been drinking water. No major injuries. He was sitting up in the cart when Public Safety arrived. He was transported to the hospital for evaluation and the golf cart was towed away.

Reprinted with permission from the Property Owners Association of The Villages monthly Bulletin:

These are recent reports (ONLY THOSE THAT INVOLVED EJECTION, FALLING OUT OF THE GOLF CART, AND/OR INJURIES are provided) that we have received from Villages residents, Public Safety, and area law enforcement. (Note: we cannot guarantee that the information we receive is completely accurate about all the details.)

April 16th – Vehicle 1 (golf cart) was traveling north on Morse Blvd in the golf cart lane near Navarro Ct. with Vehicle 2 (car). According to the driver of V1 she realized she was traveling in the wrong direction for her destination and decided to turn around and go the other way. She stated she stopped and looked for cars, turned left into the vehicle travel lane and was struck by V2. Golf cart driver was injured and transported to Villages Hospital. She was cited for violation of right of way.

April 17th – A crash occurred at the golf cart tunnel located at S. Morse Blvd. and Stillwater Trail involving a golf cart and a bicyclist who was injured. The bicyclist was northbound entering the tunnel area of the cart path when a golf cart turned in front of her attempting to go through the tunnel. She was unable to stop and struck the cart in the side causing her to fall. She received abrasions to her face, arms and legs. She was ambulatory, but she was transported to The Villages Hospital for further medical attention.

April 28th – A male golf cart operator turned left into the path of an oncoming vehicle at the intersection of Avenida and Oak Meadows. He was ejected from the golf cart and found lying in the middle of the road. He could not remember what happened after the impact. Because of his memory loss, a laceration to the head and other trauma, he was ‘trauma alerted’ and flown to Orlando Regional Hospital. The golf cart driver was cited for failure to yield.

May 2nd – Both subjects were driving their golf carts on the golf cart path at the intersection of S. Talley Ridge and Buena Vista Boulevard. V1 was on the Tally Ridge path eastbound while V2 was on the Buena Vista path southbound. As V2 turned right onto the Talley Ridge path, V1 turned left onto the Buena Vista path cutting the corner too short and collided with the front of V2. The driver of V1 suffered injuries to her face when the windshield of her vehicle came loose and struck her. She was transported to The Villages Hospital. As this occurred on private property, no traffic crash report was done and no citations were issued.

May 18th - A car T-boned a golf cart. Vehicle 1 (V1) was traveling westbound on Southern Star Way approaching the intersection of St. Charles Place. Vehicle 2 (V2) – golf cart - entered the intersection via the northbound golf cart lane. V1 did not stop at the stop sign for her traffic lane and the left front of her vehicle collided with right side of V2. The passenger of V2 was partially ejected and sustained serious injuries to her lower extremities during the collision. She was trauma flighted to Orlando Regional. The driver of V2 sustained lacerations to his head and was transported to The Villages Hospital. The driver of V1 did not sustain any injuries and was cited for failure to stop at a stop sign.

Golf cart crash incident reports from residents who were involved in a crash:

March 18th – I was a passenger when I was involved in an accident on the cart path going south on Morse Boulevard at about 10 PM. My husband was driving and slowed down and hugged the right side of the path as he saw a golf cart coming through the tunnel from the opposite direction. All of a sudden the other cart hit our cart head on, on the drivers side. I was thrown forward into the rear view mirror and windshield, then I came backward and was thrown out of the cart on the passenger side onto the grass. Police were called and I was taken to the hospital by ambulance. I received five staples on my head and cuts above my eye. I also injured my knee. The driver of the other car said he was sorry, that he had only put his head down for a second. Now I wear a seat belt and shoulder strap whenever I’m in the cart. I never would have thought that someone could get hurt or even killed going at such a slow speed. I just cringe and want to yell at other golf cart drivers when I see them letting babies and toddlers sit on their laps in the front seats of their carts. I think it should be a law that all golf carts should have seat belts and all passengers must use them.

April 24th - My wife was involved in a golf cart accident @ 3:21PM in front of Riley Grove starter shack on the recreation trail by Buena Vista. She was traveling south when struck in the rear by a cart driven from the grass strip. The description on the accident report says the driver was southbound when the passenger’s hat blew off. He pulled to the right side, retrieved the hat, and attempted to re-enter southbound traffic. My wife was struck in the passenger side rear wheel, causing the cart to flip over on the driver’s side. She was ejected onto the roadway. Fire department people were first there and took her to The Villages Emergency Room. She had no broken bones, but cuts and abrasions on head, arms, hip, legs, and feet. The cart appears totaled.