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Golf cart crashes involving children
Nine teenagers were hospitalized in three separate golf cart collisions across the Bay Area during a dangerous Columbus Day weekend. FOX 13's Evan Axelbank reports.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Nine teenagers were hospitalized in three separate golf cart collisions across the Bay Area during a dangerous Columbus Day weekend.
Bay Area golf cart crashes
What we know:
Police responded to the latest crash around 2:30 p.m. Monday at 30th Avenue North and 52nd Street North in St. Petersburg.
Investigators said a 14-year-old driving a golf cart stopped at a stop sign before driving through the intersection, where an SUV hit the cart.
Police believe the driver of the SUV was at fault for the crash.
A teenage girl riding in the golf cart was taken to the hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
Police said that none of the teenagers in the golf cart were legally old enough to drive it, as St. Pete requires golf cart drivers to hold a full driver's license.
Pinellas Park, Wesley Chapel and St. Pete incidents
The backstory:
The Monday crash followed two other weekend collisions involving underage golf cart drivers.
On Sunday, a 13-year-old driving a golf cart lost control and flipped the vehicle near 86th Avenue and 53rd Way in Pinellas Park.
Police cited the driver's parents after six youths were taken to Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital in stable condition. Pinellas Park law requires drivers to be at least 15 years old with a learner's permit.
Near Wesley Chapel, a 14-year-old driver tried to turn against a flashing yellow light near Overpass Road and Watergrass Parkway, resulting in a crash with a Nissan Maxima.
PREVIOUS: 2 teens seriously hurt in golf cart crash near Wesley Chapel: FHP
The impact threw all four teens from the golf cart. Two girls, ages 14 and 15, were hospitalized with serious injuries, while two 13-year-old boys suffered minor injuries. Pasco County requires drivers to be 15 with a learner's permit.
Specific SUV driver charges
What we don't know:
St. Pete police have not released the identity of the SUV driver or confirmed if specific traffic citations have been issued.
Police urge golf cart safety
What they're saying:
SPPD Public Information Specialist Ashley Limardo emphasized the physical dangers of golf carts compared to standard cars.
Courtesy: Florida Highway Patrol
"It's a very sad situation. It's unfortunate, especially with something that involves a golf cart… because there aren't as many safety measures as there are in a vehicle," Limardo said. "It's easier for children to fall out of a golf cart than it is sometimes a car, depending on impact."
Local driver's license regulations
What's next:
Local police departments plan to continue enforcing age and license rules for golf cart operations in residential areas.
Parents can review municipal codes to ensure young drivers meet age limits and licensing requirements before operating golf carts on city streets.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from crash reports and public statements provided by the St. Petersburg Police Department, the Pinellas Park Police Department and the Florida Highway Patrol.