A young woman in the Jacksonville area was seriously injured when she was recently thrown from a golf cart.
The St. Johns County teenager underwent brain surgery in January to treat injuries caused by the accident. She was sitting in the back of the cart when she fell from the vehicle and hit her head on the driveway in front of a friend’s home, according to a police report obtained by News4Jax.
The cops say the teen’s 17-year-old friend was driving the golf cart erratically when the incident occurred. Although he was swerving from left to right, the boy hasn’t been cited. Officers also noted that the injured teen was one of four occupants in the two-seat golf cart. It’s not clear whether she was wearing a seat belt at the time.
The teen is said to be slowly recovering from surgery and starting physical therapy rehabilitation.
Golf Cart Safety Tips
The Jacksonville accident is just the latest reminder that golf car crashes can and do happen. It’s important to remember that carts are real motor vehicles, capable of going 20 miles per hour or more. Although there is nothing you can do to completely eliminate the risk of an accident, there are a number of recommended safety precautions to reduce that risk.
The first is wearing a seat belt. Many golf carts don’t automatically come equipped with this vital safety measure, but belts can be added to the vehicles at minimal cost and effort. Despite some concerns about being trapped in a cart in a rollover accident, seat belts do more harm than good. A person who falls or is thrown from a golf cart is more likely to be seriously injured than in a rollover. In addition, carts can be equipped with safety sidebars and reinforced canopies to help protect occupants in rollover accidents.
Meanwhile, drivers should maintain safe speeds, avoid sharp turns and operate golf carts only where allowed by law. That means staying off of roads where posted speed limits are 35 miles an hour or more.
Consult a Villages Golf Cart Accident Attorney
If you or a loved one has been injured in a golf cart crash, you have the right to seek compensation from those responsible. An experienced personal injury attorney can help you understand your rights and options and chart the approach that best meets your individual needs.
Villages golf cart accident attorney Tim Babiarz has been representing people involved in collisions for more than two decades. Our office is conveniently located in The Villages. Our firm is proud to fight for clients in Ocala, Leesburg, Lady Lake, Wildwood, Summerfield and beyond. Call (352) 205-7599 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation.
