Many residents of West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, and other parts of South Florida enjoy using golf carts for transportation in their communities and on nearby golf courses. A significant number of visitors to the state also rent golf carts with the expectation that these vehicles are safe because they move at relatively low speeds. Despite these expectations, golf cart accidents do happen and they can result in life-threatening and even fatal injuries. In many cases, golf cart accidents involve teen drivers who are not using golf carts safely.
South Florida Teenager Killed in Golf Cart Crash
While teens and young adults who use—or misuse—golf carts often are at the highest risk of a serious injury, people of all ages need to understand the importance of golf cart safety. According to a recent report from ABC 10 News, a 17-year-old girl in Broward County, Florida, suffered a deadly brain injury in a golf cart accident.
This tragic accident underscores the need for better golf cart safety in Florida, given the prevalence of golf carts throughout South Florida. As the report explains, the 17-year-old accident victim, Ashely Pereira, had been riding in a golf cart with friends when the vehicle flipped on an I-75 highway overpass. She suffered a serious brain injury in the accident and was airlifted to a nearby hospital. Pereira lived in Davie, Florida, and residents in the community indicated that “kids driving golf carts is a common occurrence.” This accident is not the first serious one involving teens and golf carts. Our Firm has handled many golf cart cases including a teenager who lost a large portion of her ear when the golf cart flipped.
Learning More About Golf Cart Accidents
How do golf cart accidents happen, and who gets hurt? The following are some statistics published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine:
- Between 1990 and 2006, almost 148,000 people received treatment in emergency departments for golf cart injuries, averaging out to approximately 9,200 injuries per year;
- Almost one-third of these injuries (more than 31 percent) involve kids under the age of 16;
- Most common injuries in golf cart accidents are soft tissue injuries, accounting for nearly 48 percent of all emergency room cases;
- About 8 percent of patients who seek treatment in emergency departments for golf cart injuries need to be hospitalized; and
- Golf cart injuries occur most often as a result of a fall out of a golf cart (in over 38 percent of all cases).
Contact a West Palm Beach Golf Cart Accident Attorney
If you or someone you love suffered injuries in a golf cart accident caused by another party’s negligence, you may be able to file a claim for financial compensation. An experienced West Palm Beach golf cart accident attorney can speak with you today about your options. Contact Lesser Lesser Landy & Smith PLLC to learn more about filing a personal injury claim.
Resource:
local10.com/news/florida/broward/girl-17-succumbs-to-brain-injury-in-tragic-golf-cart-accident
