What to Do After a Golf Cart Crash in Mount Pleasant
Get treated first. If you're admitted, someone from your family or your group can take over the rest of this list.
- Get to the ER. A tipped cart or a car hitting one can cause real harm, so dial 911. After the ER, stick with surgery, therapy and checkups, and keep the paperwork.
- Call it in. Mount Pleasant Police, the beach town police or the Sheriff's Office may respond; ask for the report number before the officer leaves.
- Find out whose cart it was. Get the driver's license info, the owner's name and the insurer, and the same from any car's driver.
- Note if it was a rental. Write down the company name and any numbers or stickers on the cart.
- Get pictures. Injuries come first, then the cart, any car, the street, the signs and how dark it was.
- Ask around. Neighbors on porches and people in other carts may have seen it; get their numbers.
- Wait before signing. Many people get their questions answered by a lawyer first.
Where Cart Crashes Happen Around Mount Pleasant
Carts are common in the Old Village, in neighborhoods across town and on Sullivan's Island and Isle of Palms. Crashes can happen where a cart meets car traffic, crosses a busier road or rides on a dark street after a day at the beach.
South Carolina's Golf Cart Rules
State law sets rules for carts on public roads, covering permits, insurance, licensed drivers, which roads and what hours, depending on the place and situation.12 Under current law:
- The driver must be at least 16 with a valid driver's license.
- The cart must be permitted, registered and insured.1
- Speed limits: carts generally stay on roads posted 35 mph or lower, crossing faster roads only at intersections.
- Hours and distance: without a qualifying local ordinance, the default limits carts to daylight and to within four miles of the registered address. A town or county can allow carts after dark under its own conditions.2
- Kids under 12 generally must wear seat belts on public roads, with a golf-course exception.6
Breaking a safety rule can be relevant to who is responsible, but it doesn't automatically decide legal fault. Carts on private property may fall under different rules.3
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
Most injury claims in South Carolina must be filed within three years.4 The deadline is for a lawsuit, and an insurance claim won't stop it.5
A Tort Claims Act suit against a state or local government body generally must be filed within two years. A qualifying claim under the Act may extend that to three years.7 Damages against a government body can be capped, and special liability rules may apply.8
See the statewide page on golf cart accident claims. If someone hit their head, see Mount Pleasant brain injury claims.
Talk With Us
Cart crashes often involve neighbors, friends or a vacation that went wrong, and that can make a claim feel awkward. We're mindful of that.
We take cases across South Carolina, including Mount Pleasant and the islands. Our office is on King Street in downtown Charleston, and the first conversation can happen by phone.
Tell us where you were headed, who had the wheel and what hit you.
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
Will insurance cover our cart crash?
It may. The cart's liability policy, an auto policy or a rental outfit's coverage could each be in play, depending on the facts and the fine print. Your own homeowner's or car policy may or may not reach a cart crash.
We rented the cart for a week on Isle of Palms. Does that change anything?
A rental crash can raise questions about the driver, the cart's condition, its upkeep and the rental company's duties. Keep the rental agreement, receipts, safety sheets and any messages with the company. Whether the company shares responsibility depends on the facts.
Should we call the police after a cart crash?
If anyone is hurt, report it and get emergency help. Find out if a report is being written and how to request it. Reporting rules can depend on where it happened and the circumstances.
Our teenager was driving when the cart tipped. Does the driver's age matter?
Does filing with insurance buy me more time?
No. The deadline is for a lawsuit in court, and an insurance claim doesn't stop it.5 Put 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.
