The Concerned Insured: Golf Carts with Seatbelts?

Making Golf Carts Legal

I was unaware that it was commonplace to drive a golf cart around town to run errands and visit family.  It’s not often that I see a golf cart broken down on the side of the road with the owner checking under the hood.

Maybe regulation isn't a bad idea...

But it would appear that in Georgia, Governor Nathan Deal is cracking down on golf cart safety and regulation.  Apparently, it is commonplace enough where people use their golf carts on roadways to get back and forth to places, that certain safety regulations need to be in place.

Golf Carts?  Really?

Now, if you’ve ever driven around a golf cart (at the course, for pleasure) you know that they can be pretty cool.  My family has had a golf cart for years.  We put new leaf springs in and a lift kit, big knobby tires and a back seat that flips into a flat bed.  To say the least, it’s sort of a beast.  But after it tipping on its side from unqualified drivers having control of the wheel, it’s been looking a bit on the “old and tattered” side.  It still has some gusto however, and it is definitely still drivable and functional.

So if they are regulating these manufacturing guidelines in Georgia, how does that affect me in the North Country?  According to manufacturers in Georgia, they estimate that somewhere around 90 percent of golf carts that we Americans use are produced in Georgia.  Soon, you may be seeing golf carts with seat belts, brake and reverse lights, and banger sound systems cruising around your neighborhood.  That is, of course, if you see one at all.  And don’t worry, they won’t be able to go more than 20MPH, so you won’t be seeing any underground drag racing clubs sprouting up anytime soon.

Why Now?  Why Golf Carts?

Have you ever searched Google Images for “Souped up Golf Cart?”  You may be blown away by the amount of time and thought goes into creating these monsters.  What were once simple vehicles that were designed to “put” around a golf course while also not destroying the fairway, have mutated into crazy things like this:

Top Speed: 25MPH

Maybe it’s the future of transportation; Maybe it is just a crazy fad; or maybe it is somewhere for rich folks to spend their money.  Whatever the case may be, these babies are getting bigger and less compatible with super short grass fields.  So before you go building your own, make sure you’ve got a good sound system to put in.