One of the responsibilities of a golf club manager includes making sure that golfers are safe, thereby reducing the chance of liability. If you are a manager of any golf property, then it is up to you to make sure that golfers stay safe when driving a golf cart.
Golf Cart Safety
When golfers drive a golf cart, they often view the cart more as a novelty than an actual motorized vehicle. However, a golf club manager must ensure that the cart is operated just as safely as one would drive a vehicle or motorcycle. Golf club managers need to make patrons aware of accident statistics to reduce liability and reduce the chance of any mishap.
Statistics worth Noting
For example, statistics show that turning in a golf cart at only 11 miles per hour is fast enough to readily throw the passengers out of the conveyance. Additionally, the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) reports statistics conveying that over 10,000 visits to the emergency room are tallied annually directly relating to golf cart accidents. Around 40% of the accidents involve a golfer falling out of a cart and about 10% of the mishaps are associated with a rollover.
If you are a golf club manager, then it helps to post signs throughout your facility to remind golfers to practice the utmost caution when they are riding over the links. For example, make sure golfers are aware of the importance of wearing a seatbelt. Regardless of whether the golfer is a driver or passenger, wearing a seat belt is a large part of staying secure. Managers should not feature carts on their course that do not include this safety harness.
Enforce Speed Limits
Also, make golfers aware that turning around a corner while driving at a speed that is too fast can lead to injury. While drivers may be accustomed to accelerating in a regular vehicle through turns, they need to give a second thought to the activity if they are driving a golf cart.
Golfers should also be warned about honking the horn at intersections. While sudden and loud noises may not be welcome on a golf course, they also can be considered as lifesavers. A cart’s smaller size can make it difficult to see in traffic. Therefore, make sure golfers are aware that it is okay to make themselves known before they go through an intersection.
Signs and warnings should also be posted regarding the risks of drinking and driving. Golfers, when they are playing a game, often forget that driving a golf cart has the same risks as driving a car on the road or highway. Every golfer should be made aware that they should follow the same common sense measures in a golf cart as they would in regular traffic.
