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Posted on September 5, 2023 in Personal Injury
State law in South Carolina allows qualified drivers to operate golf carts on public roads and streets under certain circumstances and with limitations. Drivers must meet specific requirements to drive golf carts in public. Before you take your golf cart onto a public street or road, you should review the golf cart rules in SC.
Under South Carolina’s golf cart law, a person wishing to drive a golf cart on public roads must be at least 16 years old and hold a valid driver’s license.
Under South Carolina law, an operator may drive their golf cart within four miles of the address on the golf cart’s registration or within four miles of the ingress/egress to a gated community and only on secondary highways or streets with a posted speed limit of 35 mph or less.
Operators may drive their golf carts only during daylight hours. Golf carts may only cross a highway at an intersection if the highway has a posted speed limit of 35 mph or less. Operators may also drive golf carts on secondary roads or streets with a posted speed limit of 35 mph or less on an island not accessible by a bridge designed for automobiles.
Counties and municipalities in South Carolina have the authority to pass ordinances reducing the allowed distance for golf cart operation from four miles to two miles within the cart’s registered address or the egress/ingress of a gated community. Communities may also establish separate golf cart paths on the shoulders of any primary or secondary highway, road, or street.
In counties with 150,000 to 250,000 residents, municipalities with jurisdiction over barrier islands may enact ordinances allowing golf cart operators to drive on designated portions of barrier islands at night if their golf cart has working headlights and rear lights.
The law requires golf cart owners wishing to drive on public roads and streets to obtain a golf cart permit from the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles. A permit application carries a $5 fee, and applicants must also present proof of ownership and liability insurance for the golf cart. Golf cart owners must renew their permits every five years or when the owner changes addresses.
A golf cart driver operating a cart on a public road must have the cart’s registration certificate, proof of liability insurance, and a valid driver’s license.
If you suffered injuries in a traffic accident involving a golf cart, you may have the right to pursue compensation from the party at fault for the crash. Contact us online or call The Melonakos Law Firm today for a free no-obligation consultation with a golf cart accident lawyer to learn more.
Michael, a lawyer who honed his skills at premier Atlanta insurance defense firms, specializes in cases involving trucking, auto, and premises liability, adeptly representing both local and national clients.
