Golf carts, by design and purpose, are supposed to be the safest mobility in the world. They are not to run on the highways and travel at a very safe speed, less than 11 mph.
Because no one expects a cart to have safety issues, standard safety features are missing from the original design. However, the prevalence of golf cart accidents brings up the question, “do golf carts tip over?”
Do Golf Carts Tip Over?
Truth is if you follow events around golf cart mishaps, you would see several cases of tip over. The way carts flip gives the impression they are meant to tip over. However, most golf carts’ accidents, including tip-over, are human errors.
Golf Cart Accidents Statistics
Ideally, golf carts are more of novelty gadgets than real vehicles. But the users want to bite more than they can chew!
The extended capacity of golf carts beyond the manufacturers’ design is a problem. The failure to recognize the potential risk of modifying the golf cart is contributory to the scary events trailing the use of the carts.
The following fear-gripping statistics by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) would make you shudder!
- There are over 15,000 golf cart accidents in the US.
- 10 percent of golf cart crashes involve tip over
- 40 percent golf cart accidents have passengers throwing out of the cart
- 10,000 ER visits annually
Causes of Golf Cart Accidents
Since the original design and purpose of golf carts make it safe to use, the use of the equipment is unregulated. Relevant safety organizations adjudged the golf cart as safe, and everybody was relaxed about control.
The following are reasons for golf cart accidents.
- Unskilled and unauthorized drivers. There are lots of under aged drivers without a driver’s license.
- Speed above the manufacturer’s speed limits.
- Misjudgment. Most drivers misjudge the capacity of a golf cart, especially on hills and bends.
- Inefficient braking system.
- Drunk drivers. Some drive the cart under the influence of substance and alcohol.
- Inappropriate use.
- Legal issues. The lack of standardized golf cart use laws.
Golf carts, if used according to the manufacturer’s design and recommendation, cases of tip over and other accidents would be minimal.
How to Improve Golf Cart Safety
Accidents are involuntary action and can happen no matter the precautions taken. However, by following simple golf cart use etiquette, cases of accidents and tip over might reduce.
The following tips will improve safety.
- Use the seat belt. In cars with a body to protect the occupants, the use of seat belts is compulsory much less in a golf cart with an open body.
- Avoid drink and drive. Most golf cart accidents happened because the drivers were drunk.
- Maintain a safe speed. While stock golf carts from the factory have a safe speed limit, modified carts are not.
- Use the recommended golf cart path. Don’t use the sidewalk else you might trample on a pedestrian.
- Watch before you proceed. Street legal golf carts will have to cross road intersections; don’t go unless it is safe to do so.
Conclusion
You may have seen many golf carts tip over; there is a good reason and not because golf carts are designed to overturn.
Experts attest to the golf cart as the safest mobility around, but human factors are the reason for accidents.
Stock golf carts from manufacturers are designed to run at a safe speed and used within secure environments, like in the golf course or gated estate.
However, the repurpose use of golf carts as low-speed vehicles to run on roads with cars is a test of its safety.
You may call it golf carts, but most carts today do not serve golfing. The need for energy-efficient and eco-friendly mobility is making golf carts the bride of many residential estates where carts are the means of transportation.
Impatient users remodel golf carts into high speed, high capacity vehicles. Some modified carts do about 25 mph in speed, and some do far more, up to 50 mph!
Such a modified cart in the hand of a novice driver is a killing machine waiting to unleash its terror.
Despite the frequent accidents and tip over, golf cart owners who abide by the minimal safety precautions do not suffer an accident.
LUXE Electric Car
LUXE Electric Car is the only Luxury, Custom, Electric Golf Car manufacturer in the Coachella Valley.
Not only does LUXE Electric Car Custom Build them right here in the desert, but their showroom, located at 74-125 Hwy 111, Palm Desert, is open and ready to help you decide what style and extras you want for your next new golf cart.
As one of the leading electric golf cart companies in the United States, they are also the trailblazers for innovation, including the power plants. Seeing the future in power shifting from Lead Acid Batteries to Lithium, LUXE Electric Car can not only fit your new car with batteries that need no maintenance, a warranty of five years and change the life of up to 100 miles between charging, but they can retro-fit existing carts with Lithium Batteries.
To contact us – LUXEElectricCar.com
760-408-0139
