Sanford May Allow Golf Carts on City Streets

By Orlando Personal Injury Attorney on December 25, 2012

Sanford may be the latest Florida city to allow golf carts on city streets in the downtown district. Orlando golf cart accident attorney James O. Cunningham is monitoring developments in this decision very closely, as with each new city that allows golf carts, there has been a corresponding rise in golf cart accidents. During a recent meeting, Sanford officials agreed to vote on the proposed golf cart ordinance at the next meeting in January. The ordinance would designate where golf carts can and cannot be driven on city streets and specify restrictions on the vehicles.

If the ordinance passes as expected, Sanford would join several other Central Florida cities in allowing golf carts. Tavares, Windermere and Ocoee recently approved similar ordinances that allow residents to operate golf carts on public streets. Supporters claim that golf carts are beneficial, as they run on electricity and move at slower speeds than automobiles, making them more environmentally-friendly and safer modes of travel. Sanford officials claim that they have received an increasing number of requests from residents to allow golf carts in the past year. Under the proposed ordinance, golf carts would have to be registered with the city and feature reflectors on the front and back, working brakes, reliable steering and a rearview mirror. In order to be allowed on city streets at night, the golf carts would have to have headlights, brake lights, taillights, turn signals and a windshield.

Golf carts are a common sight in many Florida communities. Indeed, some towns only allow golf carts on their streets. However, these seemingly safe and relatively slow vehicles are not without safety problems, and golf cart accident statistics indicate that accidents are on the rise. According to the Consumer Products Safety Commission, nearly 15,000 people in the U.S. each year suffer injuries in golf cart accidents that require treatment in an emergency room. In 2008, researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham issued a report on golf cart accidents that was published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Researchers found that golf cart accidents involving injuries have increased 130 percent over the past 17 years and that most of the injured tend to be elderly or under 16 years of age.

Orlando personal injury attorney James O. Cunningham would like to remind readers that most kinds of golf carts are prone to rolling over and ejecting passengers. These rollover accidents and ejections cause the majority of serious injuries and are especially likely to cause head injuries. If you or a family member has been injured in a golf cart accident and you would like to speak with an Orlando personal injury lawyer, call Mr. Cunningham today at 800-425-2004 to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case.

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.