Golf Cart Injuries and Golf-Related Injuries in Tampa
Doctors associated with Wayne State University conducted a study of golf cart injuries and other golf injuries in general. The results of their study are very eye opening and show the source of many golf related injuries. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s Nationwide Electronic Injury Surveillance System provided the information here. We reviewed statistics for Emergency Room visits between 2010 and 2014.
Golfing Injury Statistics
One of the objectives of the study was to estimate the total numbers of Emergency Room visits for golf cart and other golf-related facial injuries. We can discover a tremendous amount of information from this study.
Here is one revealing result: The median age of the emergency room patient was “9 years” of age. About 68% of those patients were males. The most common golf injuries were lacerations at 70%, contusions at 20%, and fractures at 7%.
The most common devices involved were:
- Golf Clubs (66%),
- Golf balls (15%),
- And golf cart injuries (9.3%).
Here are some other important numbers to consider. From 2010 to 2014 the study noted the rate of golf-related injuries at 27,101 Emergency Room visits. That’s more than 5000 Emergency Room visits per year!
Teenagers & Children Are Involved in the Majority of Injuries.
We have said before that in Tampa and all of Florida, the operator of a golf cart must be at least 14 years old. This of course does not take into account golf cart injuries that occur to passengers who are younger than 14. These injuries happen when a 14 year-old is operating the golf cart. Again, very few golf carts have seat belts; and many of the golf carts are able to exceed 20 miles per hour on pavement. That is a very dangerous combination. Age 14 is two years prior to the age at which the teen could legally operate a vehicle in Tampa, Florida.
When we look at the causes of golf cart injuries in the Tampa Bay area we cannot look overlook that age plays a role in some of these injury situations. We have also said on this golf cart law firm website that Florida treats golf carts as what is known in the law as “dangerous instrumentalities.”
This is important because if you allow your neighbor’s kid to use your golf cart, you may be held partially liable for the injuries that child causes. Also, if you are the claimant, the “dangerous instrumentality” principle may give us extra options to pursue in a golf cart injury situation.
Frank D. Butler – Tampa’s Golf Cart Injuries Attorney
If you want to talk more about your Tampa Bay golf cart injuries case, give us a call at (727) 399-2222 for a never-any-charge-to-you consultation.
Be mindful that it is imperative you pursue your case quickly. This is because we want to make sure that any video of the incident and names of any witnesses to the incident are preserved, and so we can photograph the golf cart involved before that opportunity is gone.
We are ready to help you.
