Do Golf Carts Turn/Tip Over Easily?

By design and purpose, golf carts are meant to be one of the safest vehicles in the world. They aren’t allowed to be driven on highways, and they have a very safe maximum speed of around 11mph.

Since no one really expects them to have safety issues, most golf carts are designed without standard safety features integrated in their blueprints. 

Naturally, there still seems to be a prevalence of accidents involving golf carts, which begs the question, “Do golf carts turn/tip over easily?”

Golf carts don’t tip over easily but it can happen if it is unbalanced or driven over giant hills at fast speeds. 

Truth be told, if you research mishaps on the golf course, you are bound to come across some cases of golf carts tipping over. The statistics of these carts flipping over all give us the impression that these vehicles have a knack for tipping over.

Of course, one can safely assume that most of these accidents are caused because of human error. With that said, let’s have a look at how common this mishap is in the US.

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Golf Cart Tip Over Statistics

Typically, golf carts are considered to be novelty gadgets as opposed to real vehicles. However, there are always some users that prefer to run before they can walk. 

Usually, the root cause of the problem is when golfers choose to go beyond the manufacturers’ weight limit or recommended storage capacity. Failure to recognize these basic instructions is a potential risk for anyone who chooses to modify their golf cart. 

If you still do so despite all the warnings, you are bound to come across all the scary events that were previously considered to be impossible with golf carts.

The following are just some of the eye-opening statistics the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) gathered after conducting meticulous research. Each one of the statistics is bound to make you shudder.

● Golfers in the US witness just over 15,000 accidents involving golf carts every year.

● 10% of all the crashes involving golf carts include these vehicles tipping over.

● 40% of all the accidents involving golf carts happen when passengers fall off the cart.

● Golf carts contribute to at least 10,000 visits to the emergency room every year.

What Causes Golf Cart Accidents?

Since the original purpose and design of golf carts have made them very safe to use, the use of these vehicles is unregulated. There are many accredited safety organizations that have judged these golf carts to be safe. 

Their decision to do so is why so many people abuse their vehicles and are very relaxed about their usage.

But what are the reasons that cause accidents involving golf carts? Let’s answer your question by listing down some of the more common reasons:

● Unauthorized or unskilled drivers. You are bound to come across numerous under-aged golf cart drivers on the course, and a majority of them will not even have their drivers’ licenses.

● Drivers choose to ignore speed limits with these vehicles and go much faster than the manufacturers’ guidelines.

● Misjudgement is another very common reason for golf carts to tip over. Simply put, many drivers misjudge the weight or storage capacity of their golf carts, and this can be disastrous on bends and hills.

● Some golf carts may have insufficient braking systems.

● They were driving under the influence. Yes, some drivers can’t stay off the ol’ gin and tonic while cruising on their golf carts since they are so easy to drive.

● Other forms of inappropriate uses of golf carts.

● Some golf carts are considered to be outside the bounds of standardized golf cart designs.

Having read all of the above, it is quite clear that if golf carts are used according to the manufacturers’ recommended guidelines and safety tips, the numbers of tip-overs and other forms of accidents will be reduced to a bare minimum.

How To Improve The Safety Of Your Golf Cart

Accidents are involuntary actions, and they can happen even if you are mindful of all the necessary precautions. However, the following are just some of the most common etiquettes regarding golf carts. 

These tips will not only help reduce the cases of accidents, but they will also reduce your chance of tipping over.

1. Use your seat belt. 

Just as these simple gizmos help in protecting the occupants of a car, seat belts should be compulsory when they are used inside the open bodies of golf carts.

2. Avoid drinking and driving. 

Most of the accidents involving golf carts occur because the drivers or passengers were drunk or under the influence of other substances.

3. Drive under the recommended speed limit. 

While golf carts with stock bodies arrive at your doorstep with a very safe speed limit, some people choose to modify their cart to drive around faster. I recommend that you stick with the speed limit recommended by the manufacturer to avoid tipping your golf cart over.

4. Use the recommended pathways while driving your golf cart. 

Don’t drive these vehicles on sidewalks unless there is a risk of trampling pedestrians elsewhere.

5. Watch where you’re driving before you proceed. 

Golf carts that are street legal are also bound by laws when they are crossing road intersections. Don’t proceed unless you are absolutely sure it is safe to move on.

Final Thoughts

You probably saw a golf cart tip over or are worried about experiencing this in your own cart. However, most experts believe that golf carts are the safest mobility vehicles out there. 

Still, human error is known to be the root cause of most accidents. Hence, I highly recommend that you proceed with caution whenever you are driving these vehicles.

The only thing you need to do to avoid your golf cart from tipping over is to abide by the manufacturers’ recommendations and safety precautions.

Be safe. Don’t drink and drive, and happy golfing!