Are golf carts a potential liability on campus?

Golf carts are designed specifically for golf courses, but they are not street legal. Therefore, they can’t be driven on community streets. That means that many college campuses have their golf carts driving down streets illegally. This leaves the only option of driving on sidewalks where they are a liability to distracted students who are rushing from class to class, texting their friends, or using earbuds.

Students belong on sidewalks and motor vehicles belong on streets. With hundreds to thousands of distracted students, golf carts whizzing down the sidewalk in a rush to get to the next job can create a perfect storm for potential accidents and campus liabilities.

Low-speed vehicles (LSVs) are street-legal, motorized vehicles that are limited to 25 mph and have a maximum gross vehicle weight of 3,000 lbs. Being street legal means they have seat belts, automotive-grade windshields, windshield wipers, turn signals, headlights, back-up cameras, rearview mirrors, side-view mirrors, SAE test-certified roofs, all-forward facing seats, etc. A majority of LSVs are also 100-percent electric, making them more environmentally friendly and sustainable for the campus fleet budget.

LSVs can do everything a golf cart can do and much more. Utility fleets have cargo capacities approaching 1,500 lbs. and a wide variety of customizable accessories to fit your maintenance and repair needs. Passenger versions can carry 2 to 6 people, giving you the ability to shuttle your VIPs, students, and parents taking campus tours.

As fleet managers are evaluating their fleet composition and making regular vehicle replacement purchases, think safety first and consider an all-electric LSV option.

This article originally appeared in the College Planning & Management July/August 2018 issue of Spaces4Learning.

About the Author

Troy Engel is the marketing specialist Polaris Industries – GEM. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • University of West Florida Opens New Laboratory Facility

    The University of West Florida recently announced that renovation work is complete on a new lab building for its campus in Pensacola, Fla., according to university news. Building 80 will serve as the home to the university’s civil engineering program and the Tyler Chase Norwood Construction Management Program.

  • DLR Group Hires Higher Education Business Development Leader

    Integrated design firm DLR Group recently announced that Senior Associate Megan Todd will serve as its new Higher Education Business Development Leader, according to a news release. Her responsibilities will include building the firm’s reach and client relationships in the California higher education sector, based out of San Diego.

  • Colorado State University Global, SCTE Launch Online Certificate Program

    Colorado State University Global (CSU Global), based in Denver, Colo., recently announced a partnership with CableLabs subsidiary the Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers (SCTE) to launch an online certificate training program for broadband professionals, according to a news release.

  • Construction Begins on East Austin CTE-Focused High School

    The Del Valle Independent School District recently announced that construction has begun on a new CTE-focused high school in Austin, Texas, according to a news release. Del Valle High School will measure in at 473,338 square feet and have the capacity for 2,400 students.

Digital Edition