Let's face it: Golf carts are a gas, partly because they don't run on gas. Around Florida, it is not uncommon to see folks puttering around in their golf carts instead of using a car or scooter. But a couple of studies released last week show that these low-speed carts can have a dangerous side.
The Associated Press reports:
The research found that over a four-year period, nearly 50,000 people were hurt in accidents involving golf carts.
One of the studies, by the University of Alabama at Birmingham, said about 1,000 Americans are hurt on golf carts every month. Males aged 10 to 19 and people over 80 had the highest injury rates.
A separate study by the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, said annual injury rates for golf carts increased 130 percent over 16 years ending in 2006. The report said falling or jumping out of carts accounted for the largest number of injuries, 38 percent.
"Part of it is there are more people using them. Part of it is they are using them in more places," said Tracy J. Mehan of the injury research center, noting many carts can reach speeds of 25 mph.
About half of the injuries occurred on golf courses or in other sports venues, such as football stadiums. The rest were on streets or residential property.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham's Web site adds this about the study:
In findings published in the June issue of the Journal of Trauma: Injury, Infection and Critical Care, UAB researchers found that there were more than 48,255 golf-cart related injuries between 2002 and 2005, with the highest injury rates observed in males 10-19 years old and those over 80.
"Golf carts are becoming a popular way to get around in some neighborhoods, particularly for adolescents and teenagers who cannot yet drive a car," said Gerald McGwin, Ph.D., associate director for research at the Center for Injury Sciences and professor of epidemiology. "A lot of people perceive golf carts as little more than toys, but our findings suggest they can be quite dangerous, especially when used on public roads."
McGwin says fractures and head trauma are among the most common injuries associated with golf cart-related accidents.
The Center for Injury Research & Policy's Web site lists these links:
The popularity of golf carts has skyrocketed in recent years, unfortunately, so have the number of golf cart-related injuries. According to the study, there were an estimated 148,000 golf cart-related injuries between 1990 and 2006. As golf carts have become faster and more powerful, they are no longer limited to use on the golf course.
