By: Charlotte Smith
Some laws are put in place to protect citizens safety. Elizabethtown residents have voiced concerns about young golf cart drivers and their lack of safety and supervision on public roads in town.
Children barely able to see over the steering wheel have been reported as recklessly driving golf carts on public roads in Elizabethtown. A few concerned citizens have said they have pleaded with parents to keep their children off public roads with their golf carts due to the potential danger, however the kid cruisers are still seen zipping around unsupervised on public roads.
The reports are abuse of the North Carolina Statue Article 15 § 160A-300.6. in reference to regulation of golf carts on streets, roads, and highways according to Elizabethtown Police Chief Tony Parrish. According to the North Carolina Department of Transportation ordinance model, golf cart drivers must be at least 16 years of age and must be a licensed driver.
Chief Parrish, explained the situation about the underage golf cart drivers on public streets to the Elizabethtown Town Council during their noon work session. The Town of Elizabethtown does not have any ordinances allowing the use of golf carts on public streets.
Parrish also reported within the past month there have been major accidents involving golf carts driven on public streets. Parrish said a North Carolina woman was killed by a car as she was driving a golf cart at N. Myrtle Beach. In a separate accident at Emerald Isle, three people were taken to the hospital due to driving a golf cart on a public road according to Parrish.
“I’m concerned someone is going to get hurt,” Parrish said.
The council members did not support the idea of creating an ordinance allowing the operation of golf carts on public road ways for any age.
Parrish informed everyone he would start enforcing the state law prohibiting golf carts being driven on public roads, streets and highways.
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