What to Do After a Golf Cart Crash Near Hilton Head
Treatment first. While you're in the hospital, a relative can handle the report, the photos and the insurers.
- Call 911. Ejections and rollovers can cause head and spine injuries. Keep every surgery, therapy and follow-up appointment.
- Report it. Ask who is writing the report and how to get a copy. On a private community road there may not be a state crash report, so keep whatever paperwork you're given.
- Names and coverage. The cart driver's name and license, the cart owner, and any insurance details, plus the same for a car driver if one was involved.
- Rental or not. Note the rental company and any number or sticker on the cart.
- Pictures. Start with the injuries. Then the cart from all four sides, any car, the curve or crossing, the stop sign and how dark it was.
- Witnesses. Neighbors, golfers or other cart drivers who saw it.
- Wait to sign. Get your questions answered first.
Where Cart Crashes Happen Around Hilton Head
Carts are everywhere on Daufuskie Island, where there's no bridge. They are common in Sun City and other planned communities, in Bluffton neighborhoods and inside some gated communities on the island. Visitors who have never driven one rent them for the week. Gated communities set their own rules for their private roads, and some don't allow carts at all.
South Carolina's Golf Cart Rules
The state sets rules for driving a golf cart on public roads.12 In general:
- Driver: must be at least 16 and hold a valid driver's license.
- Cart: must be registered with the DMV, carry a valid permit decal and have liability insurance.1
- Roads: permitted carts are generally limited to roads with speed limits of 35 mph or less, though they may cross faster roads at intersections.
- Daylight and distance: unless a local ordinance or another exception applies, carts may run only on secondary roads in daylight and within four miles of their registered address.2
- Kids: passengers under 12 generally must wear seat belts on public roads, with an exception for golf courses.6
Breaking one of these rules may matter, but it does not automatically decide fault. Different rules may apply to carts on private property.3 A lawyer can find out which rules applied where you were hurt.
Want someone to look at your situation?
Talk with our team about what happened and ask the questions on your mind.
How Long You Have to File
Most personal injury claims in South Carolina must be filed within three years.4 The limit is for a lawsuit in court.5 Lawsuits under the South Carolina Tort Claims Act generally must be filed within two years, and a three-year deadline may apply if a qualifying verified claim was first filed under the Act.7 There could be caps on damages too, depending on the facts.8
Talk With Us
A cart crash often involves a neighbor, a friend or a family trip gone wrong, and that can make a claim feel uncomfortable. We keep those relationships in mind while we talk through your options.
We take cases across South Carolina, including Hilton Head, Bluffton and the rest of southern Beaufort County. Our office is on King Street in Charleston. The first conversation can happen by phone. For the statewide picture, see South Carolina golf cart accident claims. If a car hit your cart, see car accidents on Hilton Head.
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 tips over?
Several policies might be in play: one written on the cart, the driver's auto coverage, the rental outfit's insurance. The wording of each policy and the facts of the crash decide it. A homeowner's policy is no sure thing.
We rented the cart for the week. Does that change anything?
A week-long rental adds questions: how the brakes and tires were kept up, what the company told you at pickup, and who was behind the wheel. Keep the rental agreement, the receipt, any safety sheet and every message with the company. Whether the company shares responsibility depends on the facts.
Do I call the Sheriff's Office for a cart crash?
If someone is hurt, call 911 for help and ask whether a deputy or trooper will write a report and how to get it. Inside a gated community, security may arrive first; ask whether a deputy came too.
Does opening an insurance claim buy me more time?
No. Simply opening a claim with an insurance company does not stop the statute of limitations from running.5 Mark the crash date on your calendar.
Sources
This page is general information about South Carolina law, not legal advice for your situation. Every case depends on its own facts.
