What makes a golf cart street legal? If you have driven through a retirement community lately, chances are you have shared the roads with golf carts. A vehicle once limited to golf cart paths is now increasingly being used for general transportation needs. Before we dive into what makes a golf cart street legal, let&#;s first discuss why street legal golf carts are becoming so popular across the country.
Golf Carts vs Cars
Golf cart usage on the open roads has increased exponentially in the last 20 years and for good reason. Some of the benefits of using a golf cart for your commute instead of a car are:
Due to their smaller size, golf carts are much for fuel efficient than a car. If you choose to go the electric golf cart route, this efficiency is even more evident. Charging your and an electric golf cart isn&#;t much different.
Looking to reduce your carbon emissions? An electric golf cart will allow you to eliminate them all together!
The average
brand new electric golf cart sells for around $6,000
. A brand new car will cost you 300% more on the low end.
Improvement in technologies like lithium ion batteries have made golf carts nearly maintenance free. While there is still maintenance that must be performed, you can rest assured knowing you won&#;t have to routinely pay for repairs like you do with traditional, gas-powered cars.
Let&#;s be honest, cruising around in a silent, electric golf cart is a lot of fun. The rise of street legal golf carts has a lot to do with this.
There are a lot of places that allow golf carts, but not cars. In fact, there are entire
communities that have outlawed cars
altogether. A major selling point of street legal golf carts is their versatility, transporting their owners on the golf course, in the neighborhood and everywhere in between.
Street Legal Golf Cart Laws
A street legal golf cart implies that laws are in place to determine what &#;legal&#; actually means. Currently, the law is playing catch up in many areas. It is important to keep in mind that laws vary from state-to-state, with some states not having clear laws in place at all. Florida, the mecca for street legal golf carts, describes a street legal golf cart as the following:
&#;any four-wheeled electric vehicles whose top speed is greater than 20 miles per hour but not greater than 25 miles per hour.&#; This includes Low Speed Vehicles such as Neighborhood Electric Vehicles (NEV). Golf cars that are not considered low speed vehicles are prohibited from operation on roads with a few exceptions detailed in s. 316.212. As with motor vehicles, low speed vehicles are subject to a license tax, which is the same as that prescribed in Florida Statute s. 320.08- for non-electrically powered vehicles.&#;
Confused? You aren&#;t alone. The laws surrounding street legal golf carts are still in their infancy and change on a regular basis. One law that seems to be a consensus is the ability to drive on roads with a speed limit of 35 miles per hour or less.
While we recommend you look into the specific golf cart laws in your state, we went ahead and put together a list of physical requirements that comply with most state laws. Use this as a checklist that must be met before you even consider your golf cart street legal.
What Makes A Golf Cart Street Legal?
Headlights are rarely necessary on the course, but you will need to make sure you have them before you hit the road.
Sharing the road with cars can be extremely dangerous if you don&#;t have tail lights and brake lights. Avoid an accident by installing these and regularly checking to ensure they are working properly.
Golf carts must adhere to speed limits just like the cars they share the road with. The problem? Many golf carts are lacking a speedometer.
Seeing what is behind you on a golf course isn&#;t top of mind, but on the road it is imperative you see not only what is in front of you, but also behind you.
This should be a no-brainer, but you would be surprised how many people try to hit the roads without seat belts installed. Please take this seriously. It can save your life and at the very least prevent a costly ticket.
Choosing the Right Street Legal Golf Cart
Finding the right street legal golf cart can be difficult. There are so many different variables to consider. Do you want a gas or electric golf cart? Do you want to buy new or used?
At Icon EV we regularly hear these questions and love to help. If you need help choosing the right street legal golf cart, contact us for help!
Have you noticed an uptick in insurance requests related to golf cart usage? Globally, the golf cart market is predicted to exceed an astonishing $2.5 billion by &#;with a healthy CAGR of 6 percent.
Of course, there are many uses for golf carts outside of getting around a golf course. And this versatility is what counts for their high sales. It&#;s hardly surprising, then, that your clients are seeking golf cart insurance options.
With competitive price and timely delivery, Cartsfun sincerely hope to be your supplier and partner.
Read on for our list of the seven reasons your clients might want to buy a golf cart (and insure it), with some golf cart safety tips sprinkled in for good measure.
No matter the event, you need to move people, equipment, and goods from A to B&#;whether it&#;s a fairground, concert, or market. And a sturdy, efficient, reliable golf cart is the way to do it.
They&#;re perfect for transporting luxury guests to their private viewing boxes or assisting differently-abled people or older adults who struggle with walking long distances. They can also help vendors transport products or food and beverages from the delivery entrance to their booths or tents further into the venue.
And, of course, golf carts are the optimal transport option for security patrols or emergency services.
When you think of outdoor adventure activities, your mind likely wanders to ATVs. However, an ATV is far from comfortable and is designed for action rather than practicality.
Campgrounds, regional, state, and national parks, and other outdoor recreation areas can all benefit from a fleet of golf carts.
They&#;re covered, so people can use them to get around in rainy weather. They also offer a way for people to experience wildlife from afar at sensitive or protected nature sites. Fishing and hunting lodges can use them to transport guests to remote rivers or hunting grounds. Even mountain bike parks could benefit from golf carts&#;just add a bike rack.
Opt for environmentally friendly electric golf carts to really boost your eco credentials!
Given the nature of the domestic and international airline industry, airports are perpetually busy. Staff and customers move themselves and all kinds of items from point A to point B&#;often frantically.
Golf carts can help alleviate stress and keep things running smoothly.
Airport management can use golf carts to:
If transporting people, opt for larger shuttle-style golf carts, which can set dozens of people at one time.
If your client has a small warehouse, they might consider using golf carts instead of forklifts. Workers can use these carts to move quickly between shelves and even different warehouse buildings as they restock items or pull products for shipping.
As a bonus, no special licenses are necessary!
Because golf carts are smaller, lighter, and more agile than a hefty forklift or other heavy transport machinery, they can help reduce dangerous incidents. However, they must be serviced regularly to ensure they always perform at their peak.
And, of course, they&#;ll still need to continue to use warehouse transport best practices like delineating dedicated transport lanes, conducting site-specific training, and providing workers with safety gear.
If your client is a property manager of a private residential estate or manager of a retirement village, they are well placed to benefit from a new golf cart fleet.
Carts can help less mobile residents better access facilities on the grounds, like stores, gyms, swimming pools, and recreational centers. Staff can also take advantage of on-site golf carts, for example, reaching residents faster in a health emergency.
In some cases, even town planners are embracing the benefits of golf carts and designating certain roads &#;golf cart friendly&#; to offer greater accessibility to residents who can no longer drive.
Resorts typically span an enormous parcel of land. If there are no transport options, it can be inefficient and frustrating for guests and staff to get around.
Uses for golf carts on a resort include:
Just be sure to do your due diligence, assess your risks, and purchase the best golf cart on the market. If your client is running a five-star resort, their customers expect reliable, luxurious transport options.
Extensive campuses without clever transport options are highly inefficient. Students miss lectures, potentially harming their final grades. Staff members turn up halfway through meetings, awkwardly excusing themselves as they try to sneak in.
This inefficiency can lead to everything from poor class attendance to lost productivity.
Yet, there&#;s a simple fix. With a fleet of golf carts at their disposal, students or staff could drive a golf cart to quickly reach any part of the campus. Plus, covered carts will help them travel more comfortably across long distances, even if the weather is terrible.
Ultimately, when it comes to uses for golf carts, you&#;re only limited by your imagination. These vehicles are all-terrain, compact, highly customizable, and surprisingly powerful. This means your clients can find a golf cart specialized to their business needs.
Think about all they can do for you&#;from moving workers around a farm or customers around a farmer&#;s market to taking the place of a cumbersome, expensive forklift in a warehouse setting.
Prime Insurance Company is proud to be a leader in excess and surplus lines insurance, providing coverage for many who would otherwise be forced to go uninsured or self-insure their risk. We write golf cart insurance and provide customized coverage tailored to your needs.
Call us today at 800-257- or to chat with an experienced advisor.
If you are looking for more details, kindly visit Street Legal Golf Cart Manufacturer.