Beyond the golf course, more Americans are turning to golf carts as a convenient, cost‑effective, and eco‑friendly way to travel short distances. Once primarily associated with country clubs and gated communities, golf carts are now a common sight in neighborhoods, schools, college campuses, resorts, airports, and other everyday environments.
Yet, people often forget the safety concerns associated with golf carts. The toy-like perception that many people share regarding golf carts has led to an underestimation of their risks. Despite their low speed capabilities, golf carts’ open‑air design, lack of restraints, and relatively high center of gravity can create danger when not handled responsibly. An estimated average of over 23,000 people are injured in golf cart‑related incidents each year in the United States.
At Diaco Law, we believe many golf cart injuries are preventable. To better understand who is being hurt and how, we partnered with 1Point21 Interactive to analyze ten years of golf cart–related emergency department visits recorded in the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) from 2015 to 2024. By applying NEISS statistical weights and summing the national estimates, we measured injury patterns over time as well as by age, sex, and injury type.
Continue reading to uncover our findings.
Key Takeaways:
- Over the last decade, golf cart incidents have risen by 64% with a peak in 2020. There were more than double the number of incidents in 2020 compared to the year prior.
- 12 to 16-year-olds were most likely to experience a golf cart injury than any other age group. Roughly 17% of all incidents occurred in this five-year age range.
- On average, 12% of golf cart incidents occur on roads outside of golf courses; however, in December, this share rises to 21%.
- About 7% of all golf cart incidents involve alcohol.
- The most common golf cart injury was fractures, affecting about a quarter of injured individuals.
Golf Cart Incidents by Year
Over the ten-year study period, golf cart incidents rose by approximately 64% between 2015 and 2024. Here, we present the estimated totals by year.
A surge in golf cart incidents occurred in 2020, with a 129% increase from the year prior. This peak coincides with a broader pandemic‑era boom in golf participation. Many individuals had more free time as workplaces closed or shifted to remote work, providing the opportunity for many to engage with their hobbies more. At the same time, the growth of TikTok and short-form video content exposed a wider audience to golf and the lifestyle trends that accompany it, encouraging more people to take up the sport. This rise in first-time and less experienced drivers may have led to a higher number of injuries that year.
Golf Cart Incidents by Month
The chart below outlines golf cart incidents by month.
Golf season varies widely across the United States, depending on regional climate. In the South, golf can be played year-round, although summer participation sometimes declines due to extreme heat and humidity. For example, Florida, which has more golf courses than any other state, regularly experiences summer temperatures above 90°F, which discourages many from playing midday rounds. In contrast, northern and Midwestern states typically have shorter golf seasons lasting from spring through fall, when weather conditions are more favorable. Generally, the national golf season spans from roughly March to October.
Given these seasonal differences, we examined the monthly distribution of golf cart injury incidents to see how they align with patterns of golf participation. Our analysis found that incidents peaked during the summer months: July (12.04%), June (11.7%), May (11.1%), and August (9.9%) together account for over 44% of average annual incidents. Incident shares were lowest in the late fall and winter months of November through February.
We also looked at how incident shares by month changed by location. At any point in the year, golf cart incidents are most likely to occur on a golf course, with 58% occurring here on average. However, they were most common in this setting during May, with roughly 69% of incidents occurring here. Meanwhile, on average, 12% of golf cart incidents occur on streets and highways, yet in December, this share jumps to 21%. These represent some of the most serious cases as riders face the added danger of collisions with higher-speed motor vehicles and the harsh impact of pavement.
Golf Cart Incidents by Age
The chart below visualizes the share of incidents that occurred to individuals of each age. Please note that ages with no reported incidents are not listed.
Across the ten years of injury data in this study, 14‑year‑olds accounted for the single largest share of golf cart injury cases, representing 3.89% of all incidents. When ages are grouped into five‑year bands, youth between 12 and 16 years old make up 17% of all injuries, forming a clear peak in early adolescence. This pattern aligns with the way many teens may interact with golf carts: as something to race or “fool around” in, rather than as a vehicle that demands great caution.
The case narratives in the data highlight how quickly this behavior can turn serious. In one incident, a 14‑year‑old was racing a golf cart at an estimated 50 miles per hour when it rolled over, dragging the child under the vehicle and ejecting them, resulting in back and shoulder injuries and a concussion. In another case, a 15‑year‑old driving too fast into a curve lost control, causing the cart to flip, and leaving him with a fractured elbow.
What is even more concerning is how relatively often very young children appear in these records. Young children aged five years old and under make up roughly 5% of all cases. Little children, in particular, are curious, lack judgment about danger, and may be left momentarily unsupervised in or around a cart, creating opportunities for sudden, unintended movement.
One case in the dataset describes a 2‑year‑old sitting in a golf cart who accidentally pressed the accelerator. The cart shot forward, crashed through two fences, and threw the child from the vehicle, leading to facial cuts, bruising on the arm and forehead, and a minor head contusion. Incidents like this show that even when adults are nearby, a brief lapse in supervision can turn into a serious emergency for a toddler.
Golf Cart Incidents by Sex
Here, we look at the proportion of golf cart incidents by sex.
Males represent a greater share of golf cart injury cases than females, with roughly 55% of incidents involving males and 45% involving females. However, women make up only about 28% of all golfers, according to the National Golf Foundation, meaning their share of golf cart injuries is disproportionately high compared to their representation in the sport.
Golf Cart Incidents by Injury
The bar chart below presents the ten most common injury types by their proportion relative to all injury types.
While only 0.2% of golf cart incidents end in fatalities, nonfatal crashes frequently lead to serious injuries that call for emergency room visits. Approximately 83% of patients are treated, examined, and released, while about 13% require hospitalization. Fractures are the most common injury, affecting roughly 25% of injured individuals. Contusions and abrasions (20.9%) were also frequent injuries.
One narrative described a 41-year-old man who was riding in a golf cart when the driver took a corner too fast. He fell out and landed on his leg, resulting in a fracture of his lower right leg. Sometimes these incidents also involve alcohol: one report described a 69-year-old female who had been drinking wine while driving a golf cart and crashed into a tree. Her blood alcohol level was nearly three times the legal limit, and she was diagnosed with a left forearm fracture and a laceration to the left lower leg. Roughly 7% of all golf cart incidents involve alcohol.
Here, we look at cases by the primary body part injured.
Over a quarter of injured individuals receive injuries to their head, one of the most vulnerable body parts, as head trauma can lead to serious, sometimes life-altering outcomes. Concussions represented about 4% of all injuries. While less common, skull fractures are an example of the ejection risks that golf carts present. One report described a woman in her 30s riding on the road as a passenger when the driver made a sharp turn, causing her to fall out. She was diagnosed with a skull fracture and a fracture of the right radius.
Next, injuries to the lower trunk (8.5%) and lower leg (8.4%) were among the top three most common body parts injured. An injury to the lower trunk may look like back or hip pain from falls, strains from being ejected or losing balance, contusions to the pelvis or hip after a rollover, or ongoing pain from previous impacts.
Methodology
We analyzed ten years of NEISS data between 2015 and 2024. As a representative sample of U.S. emergency departments, NEISS provides weighted national estimates of consumer product–related injuries. We summed these statistical weights to calculate totals, yearly averages, and incident shares. Not found/not recorded/not stated/unknown were excluded from the data when calculating the incident shares.
Fair Use Statement
If you know a golf fan who might be intrigued by these findings, feel free to share them. We kindly request that any republication of our findings include a link back to this page, allowing readers to access the full study.