BLUFFTON, S.C. (WTOC) – As summer ramps up in Bluffton, fire officials say they are responding to more golf cart crashes and related injuries, a seasonal trend they see every year as more residents and visitors use the small vehicles for short trips around town.
Golf carts have long been common on golf courses, but officials say they have become increasingly popular in neighborhoods and coastal communities like Bluffton, where they are used to reach community pools, shops and restaurants. Depending on the area, carts may travel on designated paths or share local roads with street-legal vehicles.
In South Carolina, drivers must be at least 16 years old to operate a golf cart. Bluffton Township Fire District officials say crashes involve both teens and adults, and inexperience is often a factor. They say some drivers treat golf carts like regular vehicles, but a cart’s handling and shifting weight can make it easier to lose control or tip over…