ALTERATIONS AND LIFT KITS ON GOLF CARTS CAUSE INJURIES
At www.GolfCartAttorney.com we see serious injuries and sometimes even deaths from alterations done to golf carts, including lift kits added to golf carts. The problem with lift kits is that many of these are sold on-line. This means there is no consideration for whether the addition of that on-line lift kit—some installed on a do-it-yourself basis–will cause instability in the golf cart. It takes one rollover to cause extensive injuries on a golf cart. On-line you can find lift kits which have varying levels of added height when applied onto the golf cart. In these types of cases where there is a golf cart injury case or golf cart-related death, the family is likely not able to make a claim against the manufacturer of the golf cart because of the alteration to the original product. That can vary if the alterations to the golf cart are made by the golf cart dealer. At www.GolfCartAttorney.com we have cases right now which arise from alterations made by the golf cart dealer. Some of these alterations also include speed modification.
If you change your golf cart to increase its speed there is a good chance your insurance company is going to deny any claim for injury. In Florida a golf cart is allowed to travel up to 20 mph. A golf car (also known as a Low Speed Vehicle, or “LSV”) can legally travel up to 25 mph. An insurance company is likely to deny any claim for injuries in a golf car or LSV crash where the maximum speed was exceeded.
Raised golf carts and those modified for increased speed are a dangerous combination because a raised golf cart changes the golf cart’s center of gravity and makes it more susceptible to rollovers. Rollovers are especially dangerous because golf carts are not built with the handling ability or suspension system of automobiles. Also, golf carts do not provide the protection that automobiles provide to passengers. At www.GolfCartAttorney.com we frequently see in rollovers that occupants—usually all of them—are ejected from the golf cart. This is from not enough structure to keep the occupants in the golf cart, seat belts which are not as strong as automobile seatbelts, and no airbag protection. When the rollover occurs over pavement—as a high percentage of them do—the injuries are almost always severe.
Golf carts have become a very convenient form of travel and many cities in Florida are making golf cart access and golf cart areas more expansive. That is a good thing, but with the good thing comes more interaction with automobiles. Make sure that if you have a golf cart rollover or golf cart collision claim that the attorney you choose has handled many of those types of cases. Golf cart laws are different than automobile laws in many important respects. It is important for your claim and for your family to choose wisely an experienced golf cart attorney.
