Across the country, in rural areas and even on city streets, golf carts have turned into an easy and convenient way to get around.
This convenience, however, has turned into a public safety problem and even a risk that can come with deadly consequences.
“It absolutely is an issue,” said Utah Department of Public Safety spokesman Jason Mettmann.
In St. George earlier this year, a 9-year-old boy was killed after being hit by a golf cart driven by a 12-year-old girl.
Golf carts typically are not street legal and can generally only reach a maximum speed of 20 mph.
Even with those factors at play, they have become an increasingly popular fixture as parents and even some city officials take the posture that they are benign and don’t pose a risk.
In May, Highland City approved the use of golf carts on city streets under certain conditions.
The city requires drivers to be 18 or older, and golf carts can only be operated in certain areas, with prohibitions against driving them on state roads.
Lisa Healey drives the family golf cart to Holliday for some treats with her daughters Elle Healey, Winnifred Healey, Olivia Healey, Penelope Healey and niece Goldie Johnson in Millcreek on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
Lisa Healey, a Millcreek mother of four daughters, is very aware of the risks.
The family owns a golf cart and her daughter takes it just a block or two away to go to the swim club.
She said she has seen other people who don’t exercise that parental caution and it upsets her.
“I am nervous about the safety,” she said, but stressed that motorized scooters can go much faster.
“It is just like anything. You allow them to have some freedom, but they have to be responsible. They have to look at their surroundings and be aware.”
But not all parents take the same approach as Healey. She noted you have to look at their surroundings and know the risks.
Goldie Johnson rides with cousins Olivia Healey and Winnifred Healey on the back of the Healey family golf cart driven by Lisa Healey after visiting a local Holiday for some treats with her daughters and a niece in Millcreek on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
In the long run, she said it may prepare them to be better drivers on the road in charge of a vehicle that weighs several thousand pounds.
On family farms, for example, children used to learn how to drive tractors and operate a stick shift. In an increasingly urbanized society, however, that tradition is fading. Parents are looking for other options that teach responsibility and safety in young minds that often embrace invincibility.
“It is a family fun activity for us, but we are very cautious. I did not want our kids to have free rein of it.”
A growing problem
Mettmann said last year, several rural areas reached out to the state given the challenges presented by golf carts and all terrain vehicles on the road.
Information is offered as part of the “Zero Fatalities” program operated by the agency as well as the Utah Department of Transportation.
“Our call to action would be for parents to follow the law and any applicable municipal codes regarding the use of these vehicles,” Mettmann said.
Despite their growing popularity, the Zero Fatalities website points out these simple factors about golf carts and their risks:
They are not safe for public roads because they lack design and safety features.They have a higher center of gravity and narrower wheel base, making them more prone for tipping, especially during sharp turns or on uneven terrain.They have open sides and no structural protection against impacts.
Additionally, public safety officials warn that golf carts are often not equipped with lights or turn signals that make them less visible to other motorists.
An article in The Wall Street Journal pointed out that just like vehicles, golf carts come in a variety of flavors. Some are tricked out and do include safety features, often selling for more than the price of a used vehicle.
A new lithium-ion electric two vehicle cart is being offered at just over $14,000 at one location in Utah.
The problem has cropped up in some rural areas of Utah, but in Richfield, the police agency said the greater problem has been the use of all-terrain vehicles on city roads.
Across the state, public safety officials pointed to numbers that show 163 crashes in 2024 that resulted in nine fatalities.
“These things are not just toys. You have to treat them like a vehicle. You need to take precautions,” Mettmann said. “The frustration is that drivers are not going to expect a golf cart in the lane of travel. And a child in a golf cart does not have that training.”
