Recent years have seen more and more drivers adopting golf carts and low-speed vehicles as alternative modes of transportation in and around, and even outside, their communities. No longer relegated to the greens, sand traps, and clubhouses within a community, Florida has adopted several laws to regulate these vehicles when it comes to public streets and highways.
With few exceptions, Florida law prohibits the operation of a golf cart on Florida’s public roads and highways. Typically, a developer dedicates the streets and roads within a community for use by the public at the time of development. However, following a process outlined in Section 316.212, Florida Statutes, a community may petition its local governmental entity (characteristically the county or municipality) to designate a public road for golf cart operation.
The process involves, among other considerations, conducting a safety analysis to determine that golf carts may safely travel on or cross the public road. This analysis may include, but is not limited to, factors such the speed, volume, and character of motor vehicle traffic using the road.
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