According to the Lakeland Ledger, a 5-year-old girl suffered a severe head injury about 6 p.m. Friday. A man who says he is a neighbor stated she was hurt when she fell off a large, golf cart-type vehicle that has off-road tires.
According to Glenn Steffy, battalion chief with the Lakeland Fire Department, in Lakeland, FL three children were riding on the vehicle when the girl fell off and was hit. The man stated it happened on Chippendale Road, in Lakeland, FLwhich is near Wendell Watson Elementary School in North Lakeland, FL.
The girl was transported by helicopter to Tampa General Hospital in Tampa, FL.
According to Science Daily, golf carts are used in more settings off the golf course, the number of injuries is rising. According to an article in the July 2008 issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, from 1990 until 2006, the injury rate rose more than 130 percent. During this period, nearly 150,000 golf cart-related injuries were recorded in people as young as 2 months and as old as 96 years.
Golf carts have become much faster and more powerful, some can reach 25 mph and travel over 40 miles on a single battery charge, golf carts are now routinely used for transportation purposes at sporting events, hospitals, airports, national parks, college campuses, businesses and military bases. In many gated and retirement communities, golf carts have become the primary means of transportation. Most golf carts are not subject to federal regulation, and state and local regulations for golf carts vary widely by region, Science Daily states.
According to Science Daily, the number of golf cart related injuries increased steadily and significantly over the study period, from an estimated 5772 cases in 1990 to an estimated 13,411 cases in 2006, an increase of 132%. For cases in which the location of the injury was documented, the majority occurred at a sports or recreational facility. Injuries that occurred on the street, however, more often resulted in concussions and were more likely to require hospitalization than injuries that occurred in other locations.
According to investigator Lara B. McKenzie, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Center for Injury Research and Policy, Columbus, OH, "Because golf carts are not designed for the safe transportation of children, their use for transporting children should be strongly discouraged....In addition, private and public facilities that allow golf cart use can help prevent cart--related injuries by requiring driver's licenses and safety/operations training, establishing safety policies and considering golf cart safety in the design of pathways and landscapes. Given the large increase in golf cart--related injuries over the study period, greater efforts are needed to prevent these injuries, especially among children."
From a legal perspective, it is important to note that depending on the policy, a golf cart may not fall within the definition of an "insured vehicle" within an insurance policy. Golf cart owners should check their insurance policy to make sure they are covered. In addition, a golf cart driven on a roadway is likely to be excluded from an insurance policy because the vehicle is not driven in its "ordinary use." Exclusion from coverage means that the insurance carrier will not extend ANY benefits to an otherwise insured individual. In my practice as a personal injury attorney, practicing in Polk County, FL, I have represented injured victims whose injuries arise while riding on a recreational vehicle. Many times, these clients are shocked to learn that their insurance will not cover them. If you own a recreational vehicle, I urge you to check your coverage today. Better to be safe than sorry.
