A local golf cart driver was recently sent to the hospital with a head injury after a run-in with a car in the Villages.
The unidentified 72-year-old woman was traveling northwest on a path parallel to Morse Blvd. when she entered the roundabout at El Camino Real, according to Villages-News. She collided with a sedan driven by an unidentified 68-year-old resident, the news outlet reported.
The golf cart driver, who was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash, was injured when she collided with the car, and her cart was knocked to its side. A Florida Highway Patrol police report indicated that the cart was not equipped with seatbelts, according to Villages-News.
The accident highlights the safety risk that comes with getting behind the wheel of a golf cart, whether in the Villages or elsewhere. The Villages Department of Safety has previously said that they respond to more than 80 golf cart accidents per year, more than two-thirds of which involve injuries.
Just Click It
The crash also spotlights the needless, additional hazards that golf carters pose for themselves by not wearing a seatbelt.
Many golf carts come off the factory line without seatbelts for golfers who frequently get in and out of the vehicles while they’re playing. For the rest of us, particularly Villagers who use the vehicles to get from Point A to Point B, seatbelts are an absolute necessity. Carts that do not come with these devices can easily be upgraded.
The truth is that it is often better to be kept inside of your cart in the event of a crash. Driving without a seatbelt makes you more likely to be ejected from the vehicle, causing serious and even life-threatening injuries. Golf cart accidents often involve rollovers at relatively low speeds, which can prove disastrous for older drivers and passengers if they are flung from their carts.
There are several other basic safety precautions that can help protect everyone on the road. That includes staying seated and keeping your arms and legs inside the vehicles while it is moving, as well as using the horn liberally to make others aware of your presence in intersections and elsewhere.
Speak with a Villages Injury Attorney
If you or a loved one has been injured in a golf cart or other accident in Florida, you have the right to seek compensation from those responsible for the collision.
Villages injury lawyer Tim Babiarz has been helping people injured in a wide range of golf cart and other collisions for more than two decades. He is a tenacious litigator who is committed to helping people get the full compensation available under the law.
Our office is conveniently located in the Villages. We are also proud to represent clients throughout the area, including in Ocala, Leesburg, Lady Lake, Wildwood, Summerfield and beyond. Call (352) 205-7559 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation with a Villages golf injury lawyer.
