Florida has many golf courses and retirement communities that rely on golf carts for transportation. However, despite the state’s skepticism toward regulation, lawmakers recognize the risks posed by these vehicles and the dangers of mixing them into everyday vehicle traffic.
Should you find yourself injured following a golf cart accident in Jacksonville, FL, golf cart laws may determine who bears the fault for your injuries. A lawyer from Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers can evaluate your crash and assess your right to pursue compensation.
Contact our Jacksonville personal injury lawyers at (904) 396-1100 for a free initial consultation to learn more.
How Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help After a Golf Cart Accident in Jacksonville, FL
Since 2012, Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers has provided legal services to accident victims across Jacksonville, Florida. Our attorneys have over 80 years of combined legal experience fighting for injured clients against at-fault parties and their insurers.
If you are injured in an incident involving a golf cart, our Jacksonville golf cart accident lawyers will provide the following:
- A free case evaluation to help you understand your right to compensation
- Preparation of an insurance claim by a firm with a reputation for outstanding service
- Advocacy by seasoned litigators who have recovered millions of dollars for clients
A golf cart accident can cause incapacitating or fatal injuries. Contact Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers to discuss your injuries and the accident compensation you can pursue.
How Many People Get Injured in Golf Cart Accidents in Florida?
Florida provides incomplete statistics about golf cart accidents for two main reasons. First, many golf cart drivers do not know that Florida law defines golf carts as motor vehicles, meaning they might not report golf cart crashes, particularly single-vehicle crashes, to the police.
Second, since Florida law requires that drivers report certain crashes on all public or private roads, some golf cart drivers assume they only need to report crashes on public roads.
As a result, crashes might go unreported if they happen at private properties, such as:
- Golf courses
- Parking lots
- Gated communities
With these limitations in mind, Florida’s Crash Facts report provides a rough estimate of golf cart injuries.
In 2021, these accidents caused the following:
- 16 fatal injuries
- 107 incapacitating injuries that required ambulance transportation to a hospital
- 343 evident but non-incapacitating injuries
- 461 complaints of pain not accompanied by visible injuries
As golf carts are widely classified as “other” motor vehicles in crash reports, these numbers likely miss many crashes that align with the reasons previously cited.
State and Local Golf Cart Laws in Florida
At the state level, golf cart laws in Florida serve two purposes. First, they define the obligations of golf cart drivers under the traffic code and local ordinances. Second, they describe which duties and obligations of vehicle drivers do not apply to golf cart operators.
Be that as it may, many decisions regarding golf cart laws in Florida are often deferred to local governments. Jacksonville has an entire section of its city ordinances dedicated to golf carts, meaning drivers in the area must comply with both state and local golf cart laws.
Legal Duties of Golf Cart Operators
Florida defines golf carts as motor vehicles designed for sporting or recreational purposes, incapable of traveling faster than 20 miles per hour. When owners modify their golf carts to travel between 20 and 25 miles per hour, they are instead “low-speed vehicles,” and different laws apply to them.
Therefore, the answer to “Can I drive a golf cart on the road in Florida?” is that the state says you can only drive on roads with speed limits of 30 miles per hour or less and permitted by local ordinances.
“Can you drive a golf cart on the road in Jacksonville?” is, in contrast, generally answered with a flat no. The city prohibits golf carts on all roads and sidewalks except those designated by the city traffic engineer. The speed limit for golf carts on designated paths is 15 miles per hour, and operators must yield to pedestrians and bicycles.
Laws That Do Not Apply To Golf Carts
Do golf carts have titles in Florida? No, which means some of the laws that do not apply to golf carts include the following:
- Operators of golf carts do not need a driver’s license
- Golf cart owners do not need to title, register, or obtain license plates
- Golf carts do not need to be insured
These exemptions only apply to standard-issue golf carts. Golf carts customized into low-speed vehicles must be licensed, registered, and insured.
Consequences of Non-Compliance With Florida Golf Cart Laws
An operator might be liable for any crash resulting from violations of golf cart laws. As such, they might be financially responsible for any personal injuries or damage they cause. They may also lose the right to seek compensation under Florida’s comparative negligence statute.
Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Jacksonville Golf Cart Accident Attorneys
Golf cart operators who break Florida golf cart rules and laws can cause crashes that injure or kill road users. Contact Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers at (904) 396-1100 for a free consultation to learn how we can help you after you suffer an injury in a golf cart crash.
