About 13,000 golf cart-related accidents require emergency room visits each year, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Types of injuries include concussions, internal injuries,bleeding in the brain, spinal cord injury, or acute respiratory compromise. Some of these injures result in death.
The following golf cart safety tips are from the American Journal of Preventive Medicine:
- Drive at a reasonable speed, considering the weather and terrain.
- Brake slowly, especially on downhill slopes.
- Avoid sharp turns at high speeds.
- Passengers should put both feet firmly on the golf cart’s floor, keeping their arms and legs inside the cart at all times.
- Sit back in the seat so the hip restraints can help.
- Be prepared to use the handgrip to prevent a fall.
- Use seatbelts, if they’re available.
- Consider not letting let kids younger than 6 ride in golf carts and not letting kids younger than 16 drive golf carts.