ST. GEORGE, Utah (KUTV) — A nine-year-old is in critical condition after he collided with a 12-year-old in a golf cart on his electric scooter.
The crash, which happened near the intersection of 2780 East and Flycatcher Drive on Sunday afternoon, has left the tight-knit community of Woodland Estates shaken and calling for action.
Patti Carpenter is a nearby resident and mother of three. She said the newly opened road connecting her neighborhood and a new subdivision adjacent to it has led to safety concerns.
“People are just flying through that through-street,” Carpenter said. “It’s been nothing but chaos.”
The accident occurred when the golf cart was traveling north on 2780 East, crossing Flycatcher Drive. At the same time, the boy on the scooter turned onto 2780 East in front of the golf cart, and they collided.
MORE | Auto-pedestrian crash:
The boy was airlifted to Las Vegas following the crash. According to St. George Police spokesperson Tiffany Mitchell, the scooter he was riding was a low-speed, assisted model. The golf cart involved could seat six people. Police said it was recently purchased by the family.
Mitchell said that traffic laws regarding golf carts are up to each municipality. In St. George, golf carts are permitted on certain streets with speed limits under 25. But drivers must be 16 or older.
“You have to know how to drive a car in order to drive a golf cart,” Mitchell said. “You are on a city street with bigger, faster vehicles.”
She said that parents can be held liable in such incidents or if their child is caught driving a golf cart under 16 years old.
The day prior, another single-vehicle golf cart incident involving minors occurred near Banded Hills Drive in St. George. Details of that accident are still emerging. But, police said one rider was ejected from the vehicle, underscoring the persistence of this issue in St. George.
“It’s a real problem in St. George. We have a great community here, and people want to get around easily. Golf carts are easy to use and they’re fun,” said Mitchell. “But we have to remember that they are a vehicle and you can be hurt on them.”
Residents are calling for crosswalks, stoplights, and better traffic enforcement on 2780 East.
“There’s a line between kids being kids and kids actually getting hurt, which is what happened here,” said neighbor Masen Woods, who moved to the Woodland Estates community last fall.
“We have a lot of kids on electric toys over here. A lot of kids are going down to Lin’s, the grocery store, and we need to make sure they are informed of the traffic laws,” Woods said.
Neighbors said the community has rallied around the injured child’s family, organizing meal deliveries and hosting a prayer circle.
As summer begins and traffic increases, police are urging parents to supervise their children and their electric toys.
“You can’t just turn them loose on the streets,” Mitchell said.
As for the injured young boy, neighbors say he has many young friends in the community, and they are all distraught over the accident.
“We just really hope he pulls through,” Carpenter said.
_____
