Whether or not you may drive a golf cart on the street will rely on: (1) the place the street is positioned; (2) what kind of street it’s; (3) how briskly you’re planning to drive; (4) your age; (5) whether or not you have got a legitimate driver’s license; and (6) whether or not the state you might be in requires insurance coverage on your golf cart.
When you have got been injured in an accident with a automotive or truck whereas driving a golf cart on the street in Michigan, an skilled automotive accident lawyer will help you. Individuals injured in golf cart accidents can nonetheless get better No-Fault insurance coverage advantages and, relying on the solutions to the questions above, may be entitled to ache and struggling compensation for his or her accidents if the cart was struck by a automotive.
To be taught extra a couple of doable settlement of your cart accident case and what your accidents could also be value, try our Settlement Calculator.
Are you able to drive a golf cart on the street in Michigan?
You possibly can drive a golf cart on the street in Michigan in small communities which have allowed them. You possibly can’t drive them on roads with a pace restrict over 30 mph and might’t be pushed at greater than 15 mph. Drivers should be not less than 16 years of age and have a driver’s license. No auto insurance coverage is required to function one.
Nevertheless, the small villages, cities and townships that enable golf carts to be pushed on their roads can legally nonetheless require that the carts and their drivers be “recorded on an inventory.” They will additionally require these carts to have sure security gear.
A “golf cart” is outlined as “a automobile designed for transportation whereas taking part in the sport of golf.” (MCL 257.657a(21))
To be taught extra, try my video about driving golf carts on the street in Michigan:
Ache and struggling compensation after an accident whereas driving a golf cart on the street
Should you have been injured by a automotive or truck whereas driving a golf cart on the street, you might be able to get better ache and struggling compensation from the at-fault driver who hit and the proprietor of the automobile – if they don’t seem to be the identical individual. You might also be capable of get better extra medical bills and extra misplaced wages.
Beneath Michigan regulation, you have to to have the ability to show that you simply suffered a “critical impairment of physique operate” in an effort to get better ache and struggling compensation. This is named the tort threshold damage requirement, which the No-Fault auto insurance coverage regulation requires all injured pedestrians to adjust to earlier than they will efficiently get better “noneconomic loss” damages.
Proof of a “critical impairment of physique operate” is just not required to get better extra medical bills and misplaced wages.
Compensation when you have got been injured in an accident whereas driving a golf cart on the street
Your compensation will likely be vastly affected by how a lot legal responsibility insurance coverage protection the at-fault driver (and proprietor of his or her automobile) has obtainable. All Michigan drivers will need to have $250,000/$500,000 in legal responsibility insurance coverage protection. However they will “buy decrease limits” of $50,000 and $100,000. (MCL 500.3101(1); 500.3131(2); 500.3009(1)(a) and (b), (5))
The legal responsibility insurance coverage protection limits could also be greater if the at-fault driver was driving for Uber or Lyft, driving a truck or business automobile, and/or if she or he was an worker of a enterprise and performing throughout the scope of his or her employment on the time of the accident.
No-Fault advantages after an accident whereas driving a golf cart on the street
You might be able to get better No-Fault advantages from the accountable auto insurance coverage firm after you have got been injured by a automotive or truck whereas driving one on the road in Michigan. These advantages will assist pay for medical bills, misplaced wages, medical mileage and transportation prices and family alternative companies.
No-Fault advantages are supplied “with out regard to fault” so it doesn’t matter should you have been at-fault in inflicting and/or contributing to the accident. (MCL 500.3105(2))
Paying for No-Fault advantages after an accident whereas driving a golf cart on the street
The best way your auto insurance coverage firm can pay your No-Fault advantages after an accident will likely be one of many following: (1) the insurance coverage firm that insures your personal automotive or truck; (2) the insurer on your partner’s or a resident relative’s automobile; or (3) the Michigan Assigned Claims Plan. (MCL 500.3114(1); 500.3115)
Are you able to drive a golf cart on the street in Michigan with out No-Fault automotive insurance coverage?
You possibly can in Michigan with out No-Fault automotive insurance coverage as a result of they don’t seem to be thought of a “motorized vehicle.” Beneath Michigan’s No-Fault regulation, auto insurance coverage is just required in case you are working a “motorized vehicle.” The regulation excludes these carts from that definition. (MCL 500.3101(3)(i)(v))
Are you able to drive a golf cart on the street in Michigan with out registration?
You possibly can drive a golf cart on the street in Michigan with out registering the cart with the Secretary of State – not less than not for functions of the necessities of Michigan’s No-Fault auto insurance coverage regulation. (MCL 257.657a(20))
The regulation states that: “A golf cart operated on a road of a village, metropolis, or township underneath this part is just not required to be registered underneath this act for functions of part 3101 of the insurance coverage code of 1956, 1956 PA 218, MCL 500.3101.”
What’s the Michigan golf cart regulation?
The Michigan golf cart regulation explains that these carts are allowed solely in some small communities and on sure roads with posted pace limits underneath 35 mph. They can’t go greater than 15 mph and should be pushed by licensed drivers.
Listed here are the Michigan golf cart legal guidelines in additional element:
- Villages, cities and townships with lower than 30,000 residents might by decision enable the operation of those carts on the streets of that village, metropolis or township. (MCL 257.657a(1))
- If a village, metropolis or township permits them to be pushed on its streets, then the village, metropolis or township “might require these carts and the operators of these carts to be recorded on an inventory maintained by that village, metropolis, or township.” (MCL 257.657a(2))
- An individual shall not function one on any road except she or he is not less than 16 years previous and is licensed to function a motorized vehicle. (MCL 257.657a(5))
- The operator shall adjust to the sign necessities of part 648 that apply to the operation of a automobile. (MCL 257.657a(6)) If they don’t seem to be geared up with electrical flip alerts and brake lights, then proper and left turns in addition to decreases in pace and full stops should be signaled by the driving force utilizing his or her left hand and arm. (MCL 257.648(2) and (3))
- Typically, an individual is prohibited from driving them on a state trunk line freeway, besides to temporary cross it whereas driving the working one on a road of a village, metropolis, or township. (MCL 257.657a(8)) Though the Michigan Division of Transportation might enable them to be pushed on state trunk line highways underneath sure, restricted circumstances, they’re by no means permitted to drive on a state trunk line freeway that can also be “an interstate freeway.” (MCL 257.657a(9) and (10))
- If “a usable and designated path for golf carts is supplied adjoining to a freeway or road,” then golf carts might be required to be pushed on the “path for golf carts” as an alternative of the street. (MCL 257.657a(12))
- They’re prohibited from “go[ing] between traces of visitors” or lane-splitting. (MCL 257.657a(13))
- They can’t be pushed at a pace that exceeds 15 mph. (MCL 257.657a(15))
- They can’t be pushed on “a state trunk line freeway or a freeway or road with a pace restrict of greater than 30 miles per hour besides to cross that state trunk line freeway or freeway or road.” (MCL 257.657a(15))
- They can’t be pushed at evening, i.e., “from 1/2 hour earlier than sundown to 1/2 hour after dawn.” (MCL 257.657a(16))
Are you able to drive a golf cart on the street in Michigan even when it doesn’t have security gear?
The Michigan golf cart legal guidelines don’t require that they carry any particular security gear. However the communities that allow them on their roads are empowered to impose the “automobile security necessities” that usually solely apply to low-speed autos. (MCL 257.657a(21)(a-k))
The security gear that communities might require these carts to keep up embrace:
- Headlamps
- Back lights
- Cease lamps
- Flip alerts
- Purple reflectors on the perimeters and rear of the cart
- Mirrors (exterior and inside)
- Brakes
- Horn
- Windshield
- Security belts
- Crash helmets
What’s the Michigan sluggish shifting automobile regulation?
Michigan regulation gives {that a} slow-moving automobile shall not be pushed at greater than 20 mph. (MCL 257.703) The regulation suggests {that a} “slow-moving automobile” is an “implement of husbandry” which is “a automobile or trailer” used for “agricultural, horticultural, or livestock operations.” (MCL 257.684a(2)(a); 257.21)
Injured in a golf automotive accident in Michigan? Name our attorneys now!
Should you have been injured in a golf cart accident in Michigan, name now (248) 353-7575 for a free session with considered one of our skilled automotive accident attorneys. There is no such thing as a price or obligation. You may as well go to our contact web page or use the chat characteristic on our web site.
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