United States Department of Transportation
i
Golf Carts on Public Roads – Literature Review of Legislation and State of the Practice in the United States
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2020-10-01
[PDF-1.13 MB]
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Edition:August 2019 – January 2020
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Abstract:This technical assistance report investigated the laws governing golf carts in the United States. Specifically, the report focused on reviewing literature to document the existing state laws and regulations for golf cart operation on public roads, including Louisiana-specific local laws, and the traffic safety impact of operating golf carts on public roads. Some operators have modified the conventional golf cart, originally manufactured to have speeds of no more than 15 mph, to achieve higher speeds and to be used in making short trips on public roads. These speed-modified golf carts, with top speeds between 20 and 25 mph, are included in NHTSA’s classification of low-speed vehicles. Findings from the study revealed that in general, golf carts are prohibited to operate on state and federal highways but about 37 states allow them to operate on their low-speed roadways. Some of these states have passed legislation authorizing their local governments to regulate the use of golf carts on public streets within their local jurisdictions. Restrictions include permitting crossings only at specific intersections and specifying speed limits ranging from 25 mph to 35 mph for roadways on which these speed-modified golf carts can be operated on. Golf carts are not designed to meet the crash-test requirements of passenger cars; therefore, they offer limited protection to their occupants in crashes. Golf cart operations on public roads in the United States have resulted in both serious injuries and fatalities. In fact, 130 fatalities have been recorded by FARS during 2013 – 2018.
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