Tampa St. Petersburg Injury Lawyer Blog

At the June 11th Pinellas Park City Council meeting, the decision was unanimous to pass an ordinance permitting golf cart travel on certain designated roadways in Pinellas Park, FL.

Golf cart travel is now a go in the Mainlands subdivisions off of U.S. 19, along with the entrance road to Freedom Lake Park from 102nd Avenue and parts of 102nd Ave, as well as on Mainlands Blvd and 40th Street. Many of these roads are connected to golf-cart friendly paths.

Locals should be aware that the allowance of golf carts on these roads also came with limitations and regulations. Travel on golf carts is only permitted in daylight hours, on the designated streets (which will have posted signs to indicate permission). Carts are not allowed on sidewalks or on the trails of Freedom Lake Park. They have to abide by rules and not interfere with the normal traffic flow, as well as maintain working brakes, steering and tires, a rear-view mirror and reflectors. Although it is not yet necessary to obtain a license to operate a golf cart, officials have mandated that drivers must be at least 16 years of age.

The council decision sprang from the requests of several residents, who were aware that in many communities golf cart travel is a convenient and popular means of transportation.

Attorney John T. Grove with an office just north of the Mainland on US 19, handles injury claims from automobile accidents and golf cart accidents. If you have been involved in an accident, call our office for a free consultation to learn your rights.

In The Villages, FL, golf carts are not an uncommon means of transportation among the community's residents. What many people are unaware of however, is that they could be liable if their golf cart, though convenient, isn't properly insured.

While many people take comfort in thinking that their golf cart is covered by their homeowners policy, manager of The Villages Homeowners Association, Jodi Harner, explained why that is a dangerous assumption. She explained to The Villages Daily Sun that companies usually only cover golf carts when driving from the home to the golf course and vice versa. This may provide comfort to the avid golfers, but for the large number of residents who use their carts as a primary mode of transportation within the community roads, there is a large risk involved.

Harner and local insurance agents are urging residents to take the necessary extra steps to obtain insurance specifically for their golf carts. Depending on the value of the cart, insurance is usually relatively inexpensive compared to the possibility of paying thousands in medical bills resulting from golf cart accident injuries. Harner further explained that even if one's homeowners insurance will not insure their cart, buying a separate policy from another company that covers collision, bodily injury liability, and property liability usually runs to be around $100 and is well worth it.

Although this kind of insurance is highly recommended, it is actually not mandatory for "true" golf carts. Lt. Nehemiah Wolfe of the Sumter County Sheriff's Office explained to The Villages Daily Sun that "by Florida statute, a golf cart is defined as a vehicle going to and from the golf course, and statute specifies that golf carts not be capable of exceeding 20 mph. If you modify it to go faster than that, it's considered a motor vehicle." (The Daily Sun). In other words, if driving a modified cart, residents can be issued a citation for operating a motor vehicle without registration, which can equate in a court appointment. Further, if there is an accident in an illegal cart, it is possible that one's insurance company may deny the claim.

The Law Offices of John T. Grove, located at 8630 County Road 466, The Villages, Florida 32161 handles injury claims including automobile accidents, golf cart accidents and slip and fall injuries. Insuring one's golf cart under its own policy is recommended to protect yourself against the unfortunate possibility of an accident with the cart.

On Wednesday May 6th, Governor Charlie Crist signed a law that will allow police to stop and ticket drivers if they are not wearing a safety belt.

Up until this signing, police could only cite a driver for not wearing a seat belt after they had been pulled over for another violation. Some may question why it took so long for Florida to enable this law. Reportedly, this enforcement was refused for almost two decades due to the fears of some lawmakers that such legislation would cause an increase in racial profiling. Florida is now the 27th state to put laws for primary enforcement of seat belts into action.

The Dori Slosberg and Katie Marchetti Safety Belt Law (SB 344), is named in memory of two young women: Slosberg, who was killed in an auto accident 13 years ago, and Marchetti, also killed in an accident near Tampa three years ago, neither of whom were wearing seat belts.

At the signing ceremony, Gov. Crist reportedly stated that "the most important function of government is to protect.....legislation like this will do just that" (The Miami Herald). It was estimated by the National Highway Safety Administration that this law will prevent about 142 fatalities per year in the state of Florida. The primary enforcement of safety belts will also be beneficial in that it is expected to bring in millions of dollars in federal funds for statewide transportation projects, along with saving millions more in health costs related to accidents.

The Law Office of John T. Grove handles automobiles accidents throughout central Florida. Not only do safety belts save lives but they also reduce the chance of serious injury in an accident. Not wearing a seatbelt can not only increase your chance of injury, but also will reduce the amount of your insurance claim.