Golf carts are part of daily life in many Florida communities, from The Villages to gated neighborhoods, condominiums, resorts and beach towns. They are slow and open, so when one tips over or is hit by a car, the people on board can be badly hurt. If you need a Florida golf cart accident lawyer, Tomas Robirosa helps injured people and families understand Florida's golf cart rules, who may be responsible and which insurance may apply. He serves clients throughout Florida, with a focus on Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties, and you can talk with him directly in Spanish or English.
What to Do After a Golf Cart Accident
Get medical care first. Head, neck, and back injuries from being thrown from a golf cart are not always obvious right away. Keep every record of your treatment.
If you are able to do so safely:
- Call the police or security and ask for a report. On private property, ask management for an incident report.
- Photograph the golf cart, the path or road, any vehicle involved, lighting, signs, and your injuries.
- Get the names and contact information of the driver, the cart owner, any rental company, and witnesses.
- Write down where the crash happened: public road, community street, golf course, resort, or parking lot. The location can change which rules and insurance apply.
- Do not give a recorded statement to any insurance company before speaking with a lawyer.
Common causes of golf cart injuries
- Collisions with cars and trucks on shared roads and at crossings.
- Rollovers on sharp turns, slopes, or uneven paths.
- Passengers, including children, falling or being thrown from the cart.
- Underage, inexperienced, distracted, or impaired drivers.
- Poorly maintained paths, missing signs, or bad lighting.
- Defective brakes, steering, or seats, and unsafe modifications.
Common Golf Cart Accident Injuries
Even at low speeds, golf cart crashes can cause serious injuries. Get checked by a doctor and keep every record.
- Head and brain injuriesGolf carts have no doors and few restraints, so riders are often thrown out and strike their heads.
- Broken bonesWrists, arms, hips, and legs are commonly fractured in falls and rollovers.
- Neck and back injuriesSudden stops, collisions, and ejections can injure the neck and spine.
- Cuts, road rash, and scarringContact with pavement, gravel, or the cart itself can leave lasting scars.
How Florida Law Applies to Golf Cart Accidents
Where golf carts may be driven
Under section 316.212 of the Florida Statutes, golf carts are generally limited to roads that a city or county has designated for golf cart use, with limited exceptions such as crossing certain roads. Low-speed vehicles (LSVs) are different from golf carts and must be registered and insured.
Who may be responsible
- The driverof the golf cart or of a car that hit it.
- The ownerof the golf cart. Florida courts have treated golf carts as dangerous instrumentalities, which can make an owner responsible for how someone else drives it.
- A rental company, resort, or golf coursethat failed to maintain carts or paths, or let an unqualified person drive.
- A community or condominium associationresponsible for private roads and paths.
- A manufacturer or sellerif a defect caused the crash or injury.
Insurance can be complicated
Golf carts are generally not “motor vehicles” under Florida’s no-fault law, so coverage is often less clear than in a car accident. Depending on the facts, a claim may involve a golf cart policy, a homeowners or umbrella policy, a business liability policy, or the auto insurance of a driver who caused the crash. We identify every policy that may apply.
Deadlines and shared fault
For most negligence claims arising after March 24, 2023, the statute of limitations is generally two years. Every case is different, so speak with an attorney to confirm the deadline that applies to you. Florida uses modified comparative negligence: if you are found more than 50% at fault, you cannot recover damages; at 50% or less, your recovery is reduced by your share of fault.
What compensation may be available
Depending on the facts, an injured person may seek medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other losses Florida law allows. We never promise a result, but we work to make sure no category of loss is overlooked.
Florida Law at a Glance- Deadline to sue: for most negligence claims arising after March 24, 2023, Florida’s statute of limitations is generally two years. Every case is different, so speak with an attorney to confirm the deadline that applies to you.
- Shared fault: Florida uses modified comparative negligence. If you are found more than 50% at fault, you cannot recover damages; at 50% or less, your recovery is reduced by your share of fault.
- Where carts may be driven: golf carts are generally limited to roads a city or county has designated for golf cart use (section 316.212, Florida Statutes).
Who May Be Responsible After a Golf Cart Accident
Golf cart accidents in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach County can cause serious injuries, from broken bones to head injuries. Depending on the facts, a personal injury claim may involve the cart operator, the owner of the cart, a golf course or community that maintains the paths, or the driver of another vehicle. What you may recover for medical bills, lost income and other losses depends on how the accident happened and the insurance coverage available. As a golf cart accident attorney, Tomas Robirosa helps golf cart accident victims understand their options. The consultation is free, and there is no fee unless we recover.
If you were injured in a golf cart crash on a golf course, in a gated community, or on a public street in a town such as Palm Beach Gardens, our law firm can help you deal with the insurance companies involved, including any claim for property damage to your cart or car. In the most serious cases, when a crash causes a death, the family may have a wrongful death claim.
How We Handle Your Case
- Step 1Free consultationWe listen to what happened, answer your questions, and explain your options in plain language, in English or Spanish.
- Step 2InvestigationWe gather the police or incident report, photos, video, witness statements, and every insurance policy that may apply.
- Step 3Documenting your lossesWe organize your medical records and bills, lost income, and other losses so nothing is overlooked.
- Step 4Negotiation or lawsuitWe present your claim to the insurance company and negotiate. If a fair resolution is not offered, we are prepared to file suit.
Florida Golf Cart Laws: Age, License and Night Driving
Florida's main golf cart law is section 316.212 of the Florida Statutes. Besides limiting where golf carts may be driven, it sets rules for who may drive one and when. Those rules changed in 2023: a law passed that year (HB 949, chapter 2023-67, Laws of Florida) took effect on October 1, 2023. Under the current statute:
- Drivers under 18 A person under 18 may not drive a golf cart on public roads or streets unless he or she has a valid learner's driver license or a valid driver license.
- Drivers 18 and older An adult driver must have a valid government-issued photo ID.
- Daylight hours In general, golf carts may be driven only between sunrise and sunset. A city or county may allow night driving, and then the cart must have headlights, brake lights, turn signals and a windshield.
- Required equipment Every golf cart must have efficient brakes, reliable steering, safe tires, a rearview mirror and red reflective warning devices on the front and rear.
- Crossing state highways Golf carts may use or cross a state highway only in limited cases, such as at crossings that have been approved for them.
Why does this matter for an injury claim? A broken rule can be evidence of who was careless. If a young teenager without a learner's license was driving, if a cart was on the road after dark without lights, or if the brakes had not been kept up, the insurance companies will look closely at the driver, the cart's owner and anyone who let them use it. Cities, counties and private communities can add their own rules, so the exact place where the crash happened matters too.
Golf Cart Accidents in The Villages, Beach Towns and Rentals
Some Florida communities are built around golf carts. The Villages, a retirement community in central Florida that spans Sumter, Marion and Lake counties, had 79,077 residents at the 2020 Census. It has golf cart bridges and overpasses, including crossings over State Road 44 and Florida's Turnpike. Many gated communities, condominiums and mobile home parks in South Florida use carts in a similar way, and some cities and counties allow them on designated streets.
Where the crash happened can change the claim:
- Private community roads and paths A developer, a homeowners' association, a condominium association or another community body may control the roads, paths, signs and lighting. If a poorly kept path, a missing sign or a blind curve played a part, the entity in charge may share responsibility.
- Public streets On a street a city or county has opened to golf carts, drivers of cars and trucks must share the road. A crash with a car can cause serious injuries, because a golf cart has no doors and little protection.
- Beach towns and resorts Visitors often rent golf carts to get around beach areas and resorts. A visitor may not know the local rules, and the cart may not have been inspected or maintained.
- Rentals If you were hurt in a rented cart, the rental agreement, the company's maintenance records and whether it checked the driver's license or ID can all matter. Don't assume that a form you signed ends your claim; have a lawyer read it.
Tomas Robirosa serves clients throughout Florida, and you can meet with him by phone, by video or in person. If a family member was hurt while visiting another part of the state, we can still review what happened.
In Miami Beach? See our Miami Beach golf cart accident lawyer page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is responsible for a golf cart accident in Florida?
It depends on the facts. Responsibility may fall on the driver, the owner of the golf cart, a rental company, a golf course, resort, or community association that maintains the paths, or a manufacturer if a defect caused the crash.
Do I need a lawyer for a golf cart accident?
Not always, but golf cart cases often involve unclear insurance coverage and more than one responsible party. A free consultation can help you understand your options before you speak with an insurance company.
How long do I have to file a golf cart injury claim in Florida?
For most negligence claims arising after March 24, 2023, Florida’s statute of limitations is generally two years. Some claims have different deadlines and every case is different, so speak with an attorney as soon as possible to confirm the deadline that applies to you.
Does PIP cover golf cart accidents?
It depends. Golf carts are generally not treated as motor vehicles under Florida’s no-fault law, so PIP may not apply the same way it does in a car crash. Coverage may come from a golf cart policy, a homeowners policy, a rental company, a property owner, or another driver’s auto insurance if a car was involved.
Can I speak to the lawyer in Spanish?
Yes. Tomas Robirosa and our team speak Spanish and English.
Can a 14-year-old drive a golf cart in Florida?
Not on public roads or streets under the current law. Since October 1, 2023, section 316.212 of the Florida Statutes generally requires a driver under 18 to have a valid learner's driver license or driver license to drive a golf cart on public roads or streets. Private property and local rules can differ, so the place where the crash happened matters.
I was hurt in a golf cart accident in The Villages. Can you help?
Yes. Tomas Robirosa serves clients throughout Florida, including people hurt in golf cart communities such as The Villages. You can meet with him by phone, by video or in person, in English or Spanish.
Can golf carts be driven at night in Florida?
In general, only between sunrise and sunset, unless the city or county responsible for the road allows night driving. When night driving is allowed, the cart must have headlights, brake lights, turn signals and a windshield.
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