Over the years, the intended purpose of golf carts has continued to evolve. Once used to carry a few golfers and their bags, golf carts have now become a common form of transportation on Marco Island’s local streets.
In the state of Florida, those who are in possession of a golf cart are legally allowed to use their vehicle to navigate Florida roadways. However, according to the Administration of Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, golf carts may be operated on streets with a posted speed limit of 30 miles per hour or less.
Each day, residents of Marco Island often make the decision to use their golf cart as transport. However, the fun experience has many risks that individuals often fail to consider.
As the streets of Marco Island do exceed 30 miles per hour, those who willingly operate their golf carts on the streets of Marco Island put themselves and their passengers at risk of death or injury due to the careless desire to be “connected to nature.”
As many are aware, golf carts lack the safety features of a car, creating numerous opportunities for riders to sustain life-threatening injuries in a crash. A study conducted by the Euro NCAP demonstrated the potential safety risks associated with a head-on collision inside a golf cart. Since the golf cart does not contain a collapsible steering column or a designed crumple zone, a common flaw of the vehicle, the crash test dummy sustained injuries to the head and neck as the steering wheel thrusted into the dummy’s head. As for the lower half of the body, the dummy’s legs were crushed between the seat and the dashboard of the vehicle.
Additionally, golf carts do not have any railings, allowing easy access inside and outside the vehicle. While this may be useful on a true golf course, it presents a major flaw on roadways. If a driver makes a tight turn, whether for enjoyment or to avoid an object on the road, there is a risk of a passenger being ejected from the vehicle and onto the road.
In 2024, the University of Puerto Rico Neurosurgery database was used to analyze brain injuries related to golf cart accidents. The analysis stated that ejection from the vehicle was the primary cause of injury in 84% of patients. Among patients who sustained injuries, the average hospital stay was 5.5 days. Meanwhile, ten patients were admitted into the intensive care unit for 8.5 days, and four patients were required to receive surgery for their injuries.
Each day, when someone decides to use their golf cart for transportation around Marco Island, they must consider the idea that the “fun” connection to nature and open-air experience does not justify the lack of safety or the chance to receive life-threatening injuries.
