For years golfers have been riding around courses in carts, but now they are able to hit the road with them as well. It’s called street legal golf carts.
There is a new traffic law in Ohio that went into effect on January 1, 2017 which allows golf carts to be driven on Ohio roadways that have a 35 mph or slower speed limit.
The main road that goes through West Jefferson has a 35 mph speed limit and some people don’t believe that would be a very safe road to drive a golf cart on.
Other people, however, aren’t bothered by it since many people are doing it already. They take their kids in the golf carts to football practice and all seems to be running quite smoothly.
Although golf carts are used recreationally by many people, they will be treated like other vehicles under the new law.
Local police state that in order to get a title everyone will need to go through an inspection process in order to get license plates so their carts will be street legal golf carts.
So in other words, you can’t just drive one of the carts off of a golf course and take it out onto a road. In order to do that, the cart will need to be street legal first. The cart, like a car, needs to have a horn, turn signals, tail lights, headlights and a windshield.
However, unlike a golf course, which tends to be quite peaceful, out on the road golf cart drivers will be facing much larger hazards. At times, these same roadways are used by large semi trucks.
Plain City, for example, has a State route and US route running through town. That is why it isn’t too surprising that people are worried about the safety of cart drivers.
For golf cart drivers the best solution might be for them to be limited to roadways with a speed limit of 30 or 25 mph. However, that debate might need to be taken on later.
Numerous police offers are recommending that golf carts not be allowed on Jefferson Avenue, which is U.S. 42, and that the speed limit should be reduced to 25 mph from 35 mph on Main Street.
Chief McKee reports that any ordinances that are passed before the new state law is enacted will trump it. Therefore, if communities are wanting to making any exceptions or ban golf carts, it will need to be done prior to 2017.
Once this new law goes into effect, it will no longer be possible to make changes.
If you are interested in a street legal golf cart, please have a look at our current selection HERE at Buckeye Pro Golf Carts.