Surfside Beach SC WPDE — A new South Carolina bill mandates fastened seat belts on golf carts for children under the age of 12.
The bill states, “each golf cart passenger that is under the age of twelve years old, when it is being operated on the public streets and highways of this state, must wear a fastened safety belt.”
The bill was signed by Governor Henry McMaster on Thursday and went into effect immediately.
Oceanside Golf Cars owner, Guy Harby, said most golf carts being sold now are low-speed vehicles (LSVs) which come equipped with seat belts.
“There are many different types of seatbelts that are available for golf carts that do not have seatbelts. We have the over-the-shoulder harness, three-point type or just the two-point type,” Harby explained.
He said he supports this bill when it comes to kids riding in golf carts.
READ NEXT: South Carolina Supreme Court rejects inmate’s request for more firing squad details
“They could fall out. You want to keep them strapped in and safe,” Harby said.
Details in the bill include other golf cart rules, like:
You must be at least 16 with a valid driver’s license to operate a golf cart on a public highwayYou can also only operate a golf cart during daylight hours, and within four miles of the address on the registration certificateYou must only operate a golf cart on roads where speed limits are 35 mph or less
Darren Braswell owns a golf cart, and he said he thinks it should be left up to the parents to decide.
“It seems surprising to me and seems a little insensitive and encroachment on the freedom of golf carts here,” Braswell said.
South Carolina State Senator, Stephen Goldfinch, who voted in favor of the bill said, “I’m happy we’ve taken a step to making children safer while on a golf cart, but I also understand many of these carts don’t come equipped with seatbelts and it will take some time for owners and rental operations to get in compliance. I hope law enforcement takes this into consideration during the phase-in of this law.”
All of our local lawmakers voted in favor of the bill.
