Golf carts have moved far beyond the fairways of Oakland Hills or Farmington Hills. Today, they’re used as everyday transportation around Oakland County and Wayne County—in gated communities and condominium complexes; as utility vehicles in factories, warehouses, and manufacturing plants; and as people-movers at airports, hospitals, and stadiums. In Michigan, a 2014 law opened the door for more communities to authorize golf carts on public roadways, further expanding their use. That expanded use has come with increased injuries from golf cart accidents.
At Fieger Law, our personal injury attorneys represent individuals and families across Michigan who have been seriously injured in golf cart accidents. Contact us today for a free consultation.
Michigan Golf Cart Laws and Insurance
Michigan’s legal framework for golf carts creates unique challenges for injury victims. Key points to understand include:
- Golf carts are not motor vehicles under Michigan law. They are specifically excluded from the Michigan Insurance Code’s definition of a motor vehicle (MCL 500.3101), which means Michigan’s No-Fault auto insurance system does not apply to golf cart-only accidents.
- Road use is limited. Golf carts may only be operated on public streets in cities, villages, and townships with populations under 30,000 that have passed a resolution authorizing their use. Where permitted, carts are limited to 15 mph on roads with speed limits of 30 mph or less, and may only be driven during daylight hours by licensed drivers at least 16 years old.
- Insurance coverage can be complicated. Because golf carts are not covered by auto insurance, claims are sometimes handled through the cart owner’s homeowners’ insurance policy. If the accident involved a motor vehicle, No-Fault PIP benefits may be available under certain circumstances.
- Negligence claims are the primary path to compensation. Without No-Fault coverage, most golf cart injury claims require proving that another party was negligent. An experienced attorney can identify the correct defendants and insurance policies to pursue.
Common Types of Golf Cart Accidents
Regardless of where they occur, golf cart accidents tend to follow recognizable patterns:
- Ejections and Falls: Because most carts lack seatbelts and doors, a sharp turn, sudden stop, or uneven surface can throw a rider onto pavement or hard ground.
- Rollovers: Golf carts have a high center of gravity and narrow wheelbase, making them prone to tipping on slopes, hills, and during sharp turns.
- Collisions With Motor Vehicles: When golf carts share the road with cars and trucks, even a low-speed impact can be devastating for the unprotected cart occupants.
- Pedestrian Strikes: Cart operators in communities, workplaces, and commercial properties can strike pedestrians who are walking in shared spaces or parking areas.
- Mechanical Failures: Brake malfunctions, steering defects, throttle sticking, and electrical system failures can cause operators to lose control.
- Workplace Accidents: In industrial settings, golf cart collisions with workers on foot or with equipment can cause serious injuries.
Common Injuries From Golf Cart Accidents
Despite their low speeds, golf carts can cause serious and even life-threatening harm. Research has found that golf cart injuries are comparable in severity to ATV injuries, with fractures and head trauma occurring at alarming rates. Common injuries include:
- Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs): Head injuries are among the most serious golf cart-related injuries, especially when riders are ejected and strike the ground or a hard surface. Concussions, skull fractures, and brain hemorrhages can occur from relatively short falls.
- Fractures and Broken Bones: Fractures are the most common orthopedic injury associated with golf carts. The wrists, arms, legs, hips, and collarbone are particularly vulnerable to fractures during falls and ejections.
- Spinal Cord Injuries: Rollovers, ejections, and collisions can cause damage to the spine, potentially resulting in partial or complete paralysis.
- Lacerations and Soft Tissue Injuries: Contact with the ground, the cart itself, or surrounding objects can cause deep cuts, bruising, sprains, and torn ligaments.
- Amputations: In rare but devastating cases, fingers, toes, or limbs can be caught beneath wheels or in the cart’s mechanical components, resulting in an amputation.
- Wrongful Death: The most tragic golf cart accidents result in fatalities, particularly when riders are ejected at speed, struck by motor vehicles, or involved in rollovers.
Where to Get Medical Treatment After a Golf Cart Injury in the Southfield Area
Hospitals near Southfield equipped to handle these injuries include:
- Corewell Health Beaumont University Hospital (Royal Oak): Located at 3601 W. Thirteen Mile Road in Royal Oak, this is Southeast Michigan’s premier Level I Trauma Center—providing the highest level of emergency and surgical care for the most critically injured patients.
- Henry Ford Providence Southfield Hospital: Located at 16001 W. Nine Mile Road in Southfield, this Level II Trauma Center offers emergency services and advanced surgical care for serious and life-threatening injuries. It is the closest designated trauma hospital to downtown Southfield.
- Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital: Located at 6777 W. Maple Road in West Bloomfield, this Level III Trauma Center provides comprehensive emergency services for residents of western Oakland County.
Who Can Be Held Liable for a Golf Cart Accident?
Golf cart injury claims can involve multiple responsible parties depending on where and how the accident happened:
- The Golf Cart Operator: A driver who was speeding, driving recklessly, operating under the influence of alcohol, or distracted may be held personally liable. Just like a motor vehicle driver, a golf cart operator owes a duty of care to passengers, pedestrians, and others.
- Property Owners and HOAs: Gated communities, condominium associations, golf courses, resorts, and commercial properties have a duty to maintain safe conditions. Poorly maintained cart paths, inadequate signage, lack of lighting, and failure to enforce reasonable rules can all support a premises liability claim.
- Employers: When a golf cart accident occurs in the workplace—such as a factory, warehouse, or hospital campus—the injured worker may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. In some cases, a separate negligence claim may be available against a third-party employer or contractor.
- Event Organizers and Rental Providers: Entities that provide or rent golf carts for events, corporate outings, or community use may be liable if they failed to maintain the vehicle or ensure operators were qualified.
- Golf Cart Manufacturers: If a design defect, manufacturing defect, or lack of standard safety features contributed to the accident, the manufacturer may be held liable under product liability law.
- Other Motorists: When a golf cart is struck by a car or truck on a public road, the driver of the motor vehicle may be at fault. In these cases, Michigan’s No-Fault PIP benefits may be available through the auto insurance policy covering the motor vehicle involved, even though the golf cart itself is not insured under No-Fault.
What Compensation Is Available After a Golf Cart Injury?
If you were injured in a golf cart accident caused by someone else’s negligence, you may be entitled to compensation for:
- Medical Expenses: Emergency treatment, hospitalization, diagnostic imaging, surgery, rehabilitation, and any future medical care related to your injuries
- Lost Wages and Earning Capacity: Income lost during your recovery and any long-term reduction in your ability to work
- Pain and Suffering: Compensation for physical pain, emotional distress, and the overall impact on your quality of life
- Workers’ Compensation Benefits: An avenue to compensation if your golf cart accident occurred in a workplace setting
- Wrongful Death Damages: If a golf cart accident resulted in a fatality, compensation for the surviving family for funeral expenses, loss of companionship, and lost financial support
Contact Fieger Law Today
If you or someone you love was seriously injured in a golf cart accident in Oakland County, Wayne County, or anywhere in Michigan, the personal injury attorneys at Fieger Law are ready to fight for you. Whether your accident happened on a public road, in a residential community, at a workplace, or on a golf course, we will investigate every detail, identify all responsible parties, and pursue the maximum compensation you are entitled to.
Contact Fieger Law today to schedule a free consultation.
