After a Golf Cart Crash Near Columbia
Treatment comes first. A relative or friend can deal with the report, photos and insurers while you're in the hospital.
- Let EMS handle the injured. Riders thrown from a cart often need an ambulance. Afterward, keep each surgery, therapy and doctor visit.
- Ask about the report. Find out which agency took the call, whether the Lexington County or Richland County Sheriff's Department, a town police department or the Highway Patrol, and how to get the report.
- Collect names and policies. The cart driver, the cart's owner, any car driver, and everyone's insurance.
- Note rental details. The company name and any decal or number on the cart.
- Snap pictures. Start with cuts and swelling, then the cart's roll cage and seats, any car, the pavement, posted speed signs and streetlights.
- Find witnesses. Neighbors on porches and people at the boat ramp often see these crashes.
- Don't sign in a hurry. Many people get questions answered by a lawyer first.
Carts in the Midlands
Golf carts are common in neighborhoods around Lake Murray, in Chapin and Irmo, and in planned communities across Lexington and Richland counties. Some of those neighborhoods sit next to busier roads where carts and cars mix.
South Carolina's Golf Cart Rules
State rules cover permits, insurance, licensed drivers, which roads carts may use and when.12 In short:
- Who can drive: on a public road, the driver must be at least 16 with a valid driver's license.
- The cart: registered with the DMV, with a valid permit decal, and covered by liability insurance.1
- Which roads: generally roads with speed limits of 35 mph or less, though carts may cross faster roads at intersections.
- When and how far: unless a local ordinance or another exception applies, daylight hours on secondary roads and within four miles of the registered address.2
- Kids: passengers under 12 generally must wear seat belts on public roads, with an exception for golf courses.6
A violation of a golf cart safety rule may be relevant to determining responsibility for an accident, but it does not automatically establish who is legally at fault. Carts driven on private property may be treated differently.3
Want someone to look at your situation?
Talk with our team about what happened and ask the questions on your mind.
Time Limits
Most personal injury claims in South Carolina must be filed within three years.4 That is a deadline to file suit, and an insurance claim won't stop it.5 Against a state or local government body, the deadline is generally two years, or three years if a qualifying verified claim was filed first.7 Liability rules and damage caps can differ there.8 See the statewide golf cart accident page for more.
Talk With Us
On a lake cove road, the other driver might live three docks down, and that can make a claim uncomfortable. We keep that in mind and go over your options with you.
Our office is on King Street in Charleston. We take cases across South Carolina, including Lake Murray and the rest of the Midlands. The first conversation can happen by phone. If a car hit the cart, see Columbia car accident claims.
South Carolina Law on This
- To drive a golf cart on public roads in South Carolina, the golf cart must be registered with the DMV, have a valid permit decal, and be covered by liability insurance. The driver must be at least 16 years old, hold a valid driver's license, and carry their license, golf cart registration certificate, and proof of insurance while driving.1
- South Carolina generally limits permitted golf carts on public roads to those with speed limits of 35 mph or less, although carts may cross faster roads at intersections. Unless a local ordinance or another statutory exception applies, golf carts may be operated only on secondary roads during daylight hours and within four miles of their registered address. Special rules apply to gated communities and certain events.2
- A violation of a golf cart safety rule may be relevant to determining responsibility for an accident, but it does not automatically establish who is legally at fault. Different rules may apply to golf carts operated on private property.3
- Most personal injury claims in South Carolina must be filed within three years.4
- South Carolina's statute of limitations generally sets the deadline for filing a lawsuit in court. Simply opening a claim with an insurance company or negotiating with an insurance adjuster does not stop the statute of limitations from running.5
- Golf cart passengers under 12 generally must wear seat belts on public roads in South Carolina, with a specific exception for golf courses.6
- Lawsuits under the South Carolina Tort Claims Act generally must be filed within two years after the loss was or should have been discovered. A three-year deadline may apply if a qualifying verified claim was first filed under the Act.7
- Claims against a South Carolina state or local government agency have their own filing deadline, which can be shorter, and there could be caps on damages under the South Carolina Tort Claims Act, depending on the facts of the case.8
Frequently Asked Questions
Whose insurance pays after a cart crash?
It depends. The cart's own policy, a car insurance policy, a rental outfit's coverage or something else might apply, depending on the facts and the policy wording. Don't assume a homeowner's or auto policy covers it.
We rented the cart for a lake weekend. Does that change things?
It can add questions about how the cart was maintained and what the rental business was responsible for. Hang on to the paperwork from the rental counter, your card receipt and any texts or emails with the shop. Whether the rental business shares responsibility depends on the facts.
Do I need to call the police for a cart crash?
If anyone is hurt, call 911 for help and ask whether an officer will write a collision report and how to get it. Reporting rules can depend on where the crash happened.
The insurer is still reviewing my claim. Does that buy more time?
No. Opening a claim with an insurance company does not stop the statute of limitations from running.5 Put the crash date somewhere you'll see it.
Sources
This page is general information about South Carolina law, not legal advice for your situation. Every case depends on its own facts.
