golf cart injury
If you have been injured by the carelessness of another, a personal injury lawyer may be your best course of action. Golf cart injuries are all too common as small towns across America have seen an increase in golf carts on the roadways. Because of their slower speed, you may not think of them being involved in serious accidents with injuries. However, according to the Consumer Products Safety Commission, there are approximately 15,000 golf cart related injuries per year in the US. Many of these accidents require emergency room treatment. What happens if you are involved in an accident? Who responsible for your injuries? Will you be covered if the injury occurred on your golf cart? A personal injury lawyer can help you answer these questions.
Homeowners Policies
Most Homeowners Insurance Policies either have special terms that are specifically tailored to golf cart use or allude to golf carts as “recreational vehicles.”
Coverage for the homeowner typically depends on where the accident occurs. Most Homeowners Insurance Policies do not cover golf cart accidents unless (a) the accident occurs on a golf course; or (b) the accident occurs at the homeowner’s home.
This means an accident that occurs when the insured is driving to a neighbor’s house, through a park, or to the neighborhood pool would probably not be covered by a Homeowners Insurance Policy. On the other hand, if, for example, the homeowner accidentally runs over his boss during his company’s annual golf outing, the homeowner would probably be covered.
If the homeowner’s child, parent, brother, sister, friend, etc. is responsible for the accident, they will usually be covered by the homeowner’s policy if (a) the accident occurs on a golf course or at the homeowner’s home; (b) the homeowner owns the golf cart; and (c) the child, parent, brother, sister, friend, etc. is using the golf cart with the homeowner’s permission.
Automobile Policies
Automobile policies do not provide coverage for golf carts. In SC, golf carts are required to be registered with the DMV and be covered by a separate insurance policy. While it is legal to drive golf carts on secondary roads where the speed limit is less than 35 mph, most manufacturers of golf carts specifically instruct owners not to use the golf cart on a public road.
The Gap
Because most Homeowner’s Insurance Policies limits coverage to accidents that occur at the homeowner’s home and Automobile Insurance Policies exclude coverage for golf carts, golf cart accidents can pose a serious risk of personal loss if an accident occurs at a park, on a neighborhood street, or elsewhere.
Common Injuries
Manufacturing standards require golf cart to have accessible handholds and restraints. Most golf carts have semicircle bars that rise up from each side of the bench seat and are designed as handholds and restraints to keep passengers from sliding out of the cart. However, these bars don’t provide enough restraint during a roll-over and don’t eliminate the possibility of ejection during certain situations.
Children represent the largest portion of all ejection accident victims. Consumer Products Safety Commission state that approximately 40% of all golf cart accidents involve children with 50% of these accidents occurred from a moving cart. The easiest way to reduce this number is to require all passengers wear seatbelts when riding on a golf carts that is used on the roadways.
Seemingly harmless behavior could result in an accident. The Consumer Products Safety Commission statistics tell us that golf cart accidents can result in serious injuries and even death. If you own and operate a golf cart, we urge you use caution on the roadways and be responsible when behind the wheel. When the cart is stopped, make sure the brake is in the locked position. If kids are operating the cart, make sure they’re aware of the dangers.
If you or someone you love has been injured while riding in a golf cart, the personal injury lawyers at Clekis Law Firm can help. Our personal injury lawyers can assist you in determining who is responsible for your injuries and help you get the money you deserve.
