Golf carts are fun and easy to drive, and because of their size and limited speed, one may think that being involved in an accident is rare, or if it happens, the injuries won’t be that serious. However, a moving vehicle is a moving vehicle, no matter what size it is, and some serious injuries can occur in a golf cart accident.

Below are some safety tips to practice when using a golf cart, brought to you by Discovery Golf Cars. With us, you’ll find the best deals on golf carts, so visit us today in Land O' Lakes or Clearwater, FL. We also serve St. Petersburg and Lakeland.

Remain Properly Seated

The most common types of golf carts have openings all around them, which makes it easy and tempting for passengers to stick out a hand or foot. Avoid doing that. As long as the cart is in motion, all passengers should remain seated with all body parts inside the vehicle.

Golf carts are unstable, and this little bit of unbalanced weight can cause them to tip over, or you can lose your balance and fall out. Furthermore, you never know what a body part could hit if you let it stray outside the cart.

Don’t Overcrowd

Every golf cart model comes with a maximum number of persons that it can safely carry. Therefore, don’t attempt to fit more people than what the cart was made to handle. Allowing passengers to sit on laps or hang off the side or back of the moving cart makes it easier for them to fall off or get injured. Plus, adding more weight puts strain on the golf cart and makes the driver have less control.

Stay Focused

A distracted driver puts everyone at risk. No matter what and where you’re driving, even the slightest distraction can result in some major consequences. So, whenever you’re behind the wheel of a golf cart, remain focused and avoid using your phone, eating while driving, adjusting vehicle controls and music, or interacting with passengers too much.

Be Familiar with Hand Signals

The average golf cart usually doesn’t have turn signals on it unless they are added later. This lack of turn signals is due to the fact that carts are not considered true road vehicles. Hand signals are used instead, and it is important to know how they work for the sake of other golf cart drivers, even if your cart has a turning light system upgrade.

The most common hand signals involve turning and stopping. Here are the basics:

• Left-hand turn – Your left arm straight out the left side of the golf cart.
• Right-hand turn – Your left arm out the left side of the golf cart, but pointed upwards at the elbow.
• Stopping – Your left arm out the left side of the golf cart, but pointed downwards at the elbow.

We hope these tips will help you drive safely. For more information like this or to check out our stellar selection of golf carts, stop at Discovery Golf Cars in either of our locations in Land O' Lakes or Clearwater, FL. Our knowledgeable staff in all our departments, including parts and service departments, is here to meet your needs. We also serve those from St. Petersburg and Lakeland.