Recent Deadly Florida Golf Cart Accident Sheds Light on Dangers of These Vehicles

Recently, a 27-year-old Land O’ Lakes woman was killed when she was thrown from a golf cart making a left turn and fell on the pavement at an area country club. The victim and her friend were riding on the cart at Lake Padgett Estates when they tried to turn left onto the driveway of a neighborhood park. The friend was driving the golf cart at the time, and, when he turned, she was ejected from the cart and suffered massive head trauma, which caused her death.

Orlando golf cart accident attorney James O. Cunningham has grown increasingly concerned about the safety of these vehicles after seeing a series of fatal and near-fatal accidents in recent years. The data suggest that golf cart accidents are on the rise over the last several years. Here are some recent examples of deadly golf cart accidents from around the country:

• A Chicago-area man was standing near the putting green of a golf course in Skokie, IL, in November 2010 when his unattended golf cart suddenly accelerated, ran him over and killed him. The man was found trapped under the golf cart, and authorities determined that he died from “multiple crushing injuries.”
• A Bonita Springs, FL, woman was killed in April 2011 after being ejected from a golf cart driven by her husband. When her husband made a left turn, she also was thrown from the cart and sustained serious injuries when she struck a concrete curb.

According to an upcoming issue of The American Journal of Preventive Medicine, golf cart accidents resulting in serious injury or death increased an astonishing 132 percent from 1990 to 2006. Nearly 150,000 people suffered injuries serious enough to warrant a visit to the emergency room over that period of time, and victims ranged in age from two months to 96 years old.

Golf carts are a ubiquitous sight in Central Florida, and many communities in the area forbid all other modes of transportation. However, several safety concerns about these vehicles are under review at the moment due to the high numbers of people seriously and mortally injured in accidents involving these vehicles. If you or a member of your family has been injured in a golf cart accident and you would like to speak with an Orlando personal injury attorney to learn more about your rights and legal options, call Mr. Cunningham today at 386-243-4994 to schedule your free consultation.

James O. Cunningham

Since 1977, personal injury lawyer James Cunningham has provided effective legal advocacy to people who are injured through the negligent actions of another person or entity throughout the Central Florida area. He fights to obtain recoveries for his clients’ physical and emotional pain and suffering and pursues his clients’ personal injury cases with a commitment to excellence and impeccable preparation.