With spring in the air and warmer tempertures quickly approaching, the personal injury lawyers at Clekis Law Firm want to remind you of the South Carolina state laws regarding golf cart usage on roadways:
SECTION 56-2-105. Golf cart permit and the operation of a golf cart.
(A) For the purposes of this section, “gated community” means any homeowners’ community with at least one access-controlled ingress and egress which includes the presence of a guard house, a mechanical barrier, or another method of controlled conveyance.
(B) An individual or business owner of a vehicle commonly known as a golf cart may obtain a permit decal and registration from the Department of Motor Vehicles.
To obtain a golf cart permit, you must:
· Complete Form GC-2, Golf Cart Permit Registration
· Provide proof of insurance for the golf cart
· Provide a valid driver license number for the operator
· Submit a fee of $5.00
(1) During daylight hours only, a permitted golf cart may be operated within four miles of the address on the registration certificate and only on a secondary highway or street for which the posted speed limit is thirty-five miles an hour or less.
(2) During daylight hours only, a permitted golf cart may be operated within four miles of a point of ingress and egress to a gated community and only on a secondary highway or street for which the posted speed limit is 35 miles an hour or less.
(3) During daylight hours only, within four miles of the registration holder’s address, and while traveling along a secondary highway or street for which the posted speed limit is 35 miles an hour or less, a permitted golf cart may cross a highway or street at an intersection where the highway has a posted speed limit of more than 35 miles an hour.
(4) During daylight hours only, a permitted golf cart may be operated along a secondary highway or street for which the posted speed limit is 35 miles an hour or less on an island not accessible by a bridge designed for use by automobiles.
(C) A person operating a permitted golf cart must be at least 16 years of age and hold a valid driver’s license. The operator of a permitted golf cart being operated on a highway or street must have in his possession:
(1) the registration certificate issued by the department;
(2) proof of liability insurance for the golf cart; and
(3) his driver’s license.
(D)(1) A golf cart permit must be replaced with a new permit every five years, or
at the time the permit holder changes his address.
(2) Golf cart owners holding golf cart permits on or before Oct. 1, 2012, will have until Sept. 30, 2015, to obtain a replacement permit.
(E) A political subdivision may, on designated streets or roads within the political
subdivision’s jurisdiction, reduce the area in which a permitted golf cart may operate from four miles to no less than two miles. However, a political subdivision may not reduce or otherwise amend the other restrictions placed on the operation of a permitted golf cart contained in this section.
(F) The provisions of this section that restrict the use of a golf cart to certain
streets, certain hours and certain distances shall not apply to a golf cart used by
a public safety agency in connection with the performance of its duties.
The following are the laws pertaining to golf cart usage (as updated in 2012).
To summarize:
• The driver must be at least 16 and have a valid driver’s license
• Golf Cart must be insured.
• Must have a permit issued by the DMV
Operate on a secondary road where posted speed limit is 35 mph or less and within four miles of registered address.
Can only cross a primary road to get to another secondary road
Can only operate during daylight hours.
These laws can be applied to parents who knowingly allow juveniles to operate golf carts outside of the law.
While golf carts are a fun and green alternative for transportation, they can also be dangerous. Make sure you operate your cart with care. If you have been injured in a golf cart accident, give the personal injury lawyers at Clekis Law Firm a call. They can assist you in determining your rights.
