Golf Cart Accidents are more Common than You may Think

By Orlando Personal Injury Attorney on March 18, 2014

It’s difficult to believe that a vehicle with a top speed of around 15 mph could result in accidents that injure more than 1,000 Americans each month but it comes as no surprise to Orlando golf cart accident injury lawyers. He has been helping golf cart accident victims since 1977 and he, along with other personal injury attorneys across the country, have forced golf cart manufacturers to improve that safety of these vehicles through improved designs and better safety equipment.

Although significant strides have been made in reducing the number and severity of golf cart accidents over the last few decades, golf cart accident statistics from the Consumer Product Safety Commission suggest that there is still plenty of room for improvement:

• Around 40 percent of all golf cart accident injuries result from a person falling out of a moving cart, with around 50 percent of victims aged 16 years old or younger.
• Approximately 10 percent of golf cart accidents involve the cart rolling over on occupants. In golf cart rollover accidents, people riding in the cart are around twice as likely to suffer serious injuries requiring hospitalization than non-rollover accidents.
• There are approximately 15,000 golf cart accident-related injuries requiring emergency room treatment in the US each year.
• Fractures and head trauma are the most common types of golf cart accident injuries, with the highest injury rates among 10- to 19-year-old boys and men older than 80.
• From 1990 to 2006, 150,000 people were injured in golf cart accidents. Those statistics have increased since then as golf carts have become increasingly popular forms of transportation, especially in Florida.
• Most golf carts have a top speed of 15 mph but can be made to go much faster with simple alterations. Higher speeds usually result in higher accident rates and increased severity of injuries.
• People riding in rear-facing golf cart seats are much more likely to be ejected from the cart and injured.
• Golf carts with brakes installed only on the rear wheels are much more likely to fishtail, especially on hilly terrain, and cause the driver to lose control of the cart.

If you are one of the hundreds of people injured in golf cart accidents in central Florida each year, you may be entitled to damages to help defray medical costs, lost wages and other damages. If you have questions about your rights and legal options, it’s a very good idea to schedule a consultation with experienced Orlando personal injury attorney James O. Cunningham. He has been helping injured people since 1977 and has a proven record of success building effective golf cart accident vases for clients. To schedule a free consultation to discuss your case, call him today at 877-FL-INJURY (877-354-6587)!

James O. Cunningham

Since 1977, personal injury lawyer James Cunningham has provided effective legal advocacy to people who are injured through the negligent actions of another person or entity throughout the Central Florida area. He fights to obtain recoveries for his clients’ physical and emotional pain and suffering and pursues his clients’ personal injury cases with a commitment to excellence and impeccable preparation.