Add as a preferred source on Google

Why Are Golf Carts A Potential Liability On Campus?

  • By Troy Engel
  • 07/01/18

Golf carts are designed specifically for golf courses, and while they do a great job in their element, they are not street legal. Therefore, they can’t be driven on community streets. That means that many larger campuses and districts 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 blaring the music in their headphones.

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 their next job can create a perfect storm for potential accidents and 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 pounds. Being street legal means they have seat belts, automotive grade windshields, windshield wipers, turn signals, headlights, back-up cameras, rear view 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 district fleet budget.

LSVs can also do everything a golf cart can do and much more. Utility fleets have cargo capacities approaching 1,500 pounds, and a wide variety of customizable accessories to fit your maintenance and repair needs. Passenger versions can carry two to six people, giving you the ability to shuttle people around campus.

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 School 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 Southern Mississippi Starts Construction on Oyster Hatchery

    The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) recently announced that construction has begun on a new oyster hatchery at its Gulf Coast Research Laboratory (GCRL) Thad Cochran Marine Aquaculture Center (TCMAC) Cedar Point campus in Ocean Springs, Miss., according to a news release.

  • sapling sprouting from a cracked stone

    Lessons in Resilience: Disaster Recovery in Our Schools

    Facility managers play a pivotal role in how well a school weathers and recovers from a crisis. Whether it's a hurricane, a flood, a tornado, or a man-made event, preparation determines resilience.

  • textured paper collage shows a school building on fire as a fire truck sprays water into the flames

    Why a Fire Loss Is More than Flames

    We've all seen what fire damage can do to a property, but the types of damage building owners often encounter after a fire loss can exceed expectations. Having full awareness of the different forms of damage properties can sustain helps owners respond faster, reduce continued damage, and get back on the road to recovery in short order.

  • Armstrong World Industries Acquires Geometrik

    Armstrong World Industries, designer and manufacturer of interior and exterior architectural applications like ceilings, walls, and metal solutions, recently announced its acquisition of Canada-based Geometrik, according to a news release. The British Columbian Geometrik specializes in designing and manufacturing wood acoustical and wall systems.

Digital Edition