Anyone know if there's an age limit for driving a golfcart?

[Baitball Blogger]

First time I've seen a ten year old driving alone on the fairway. He went back and forth and played the fairway twice on his own, so I suspect, either he lives nearby, or his father was working on the fairway somewhere.

Just wondered because I've seen a much older kid doing the same thing years back, with tragic results. He wasn't there to play golf. He had tied a surfing board to the cart so it trailed behind and he figured a way to lock the gas pedal in place. He drove it down a knoll, where the cart would pick up speed (these were the old carts) and then he would try to jump on the board and surf. It worked the first time, but the second time the cart got away from him and rammed into a tree behind my house.

The new carts today are dangerously fast. Not sure it's wise to allow a young one to drive one unsupervised - assuming it's allowed.

Anyone know if there are rules?

[elleng]

1. Depends on each state.

[customerserviceguy]

2. I would imagine

that if a person were operating the golf cart on private property (which I assume most golf courses to be) that the driving laws for a state may not apply. Get that thing on the road, even to cross one, and then the state laws would apply, probably.

[jberryhill]

3. It's private property

How old must one be to drive a go-kart or one of these:

[Baitball Blogger]

4. Trust me, the golfcarts of today are nothing like a toy.

They're nothing like the old carts. They have heavy duty trail blazing wheels and I swear they can go 25 MPH.

[jberryhill]

8. It doesn't matter

Your question was about age limits for driving vehicles on private property. There are none.

[Baitball Blogger]

9. Well, I did a search and there is one requirement: permission from the owner.

Which means that the golf course owner would have to be aware to give permission. The main reason for this is that the owner would be liable if anything goes wrong. Without permission, the parents or guardians would be responsible.

Driving on Private Property Without a License

In all U.S. states, it is illegal to drive any motor vehicle on any highway unless you have a valid license. In general, unlicensed drivers can operate vehicles on private property, but this is where the definition of private property comes into play. If the property is open to the public such as a mall parking lot or parking garage owned by an individual or company, licensing laws can be enforced. If someone without a valid motor vehicle license drives on private property during the course of employment, this may be in breach of insurance requirements.

The same law applies to minors driving on private property. Minors without a state-required driver's license can drive vehicles and dirt bikes on private property with no public access, such as ranches and other rural private property, provided they have the consent of the property owner. However, if an unlicensed driver causes a serious injury or death while driving, the property owners – or parents or guardians if the driver is a minor – could be held liable for injuries and damages.

[underpants]

5. My daughter drove one when she was 10

At summer camp. I've let her drive with me last summer on a golf course.

[Baitball Blogger]

6. I don't see a problem if they're supervised.

[Blue Owl]

7. I do know this -- there's not an IQ liimit

n/t

[bif]

10. 90?

[raccoon]

11. I thought you were referring to an UPPER age limit! Like if a 72-year-old can drive one.

Of course, I expect the Dotard doesn't drive golf carts, someone else drives him around.