MARTIN COUNTY, Fla. — The Martin County Sheriff’s Office is starting a new safety enforcement campaign targeting drivers of golf carts and other low speed vehicles.
Crystal Fusco sat behind the wheel of a Polaris, while waiting to pick up her child Tuesday at Bessey Creek Elementary.
“It’s beautiful out. The kids think it’s cool. My son loves to be driven around, and he loves it," she said.
Fusco was greeted outside the school gates by Lt. Joseph Collazo with the Martin County Sheriff’s Office.
“A lot of times we’ll get juveniles driving them in unsafe conditions," Collazo said. "A lot of times they’ll be on the sidewalks, which is a civil infraction.”
Golf carts are only permitted on roads with a maximum 35 miles per hour speed limit, and that’s only if they have a title, registration, insurance, and all the appropriate safety measures to make them street legal.
“They need what a vehicle needs. Headlights, brake lights, turn signals, red view facing mirror, a windshield wiper,” Collazo said.
This stepped up enforcement comes after a year of education and warnings. However, the sheriff’s office said golf cart drivers aren’t following the rules of the road.
In the Rocky Point neighborhood, Stephen Rankin said yes, crack down on kids driving golf carts, but leave the adults alone.
“They do go fast, but as far as adults go, this is one of the simple pleasures in our neighborhood," Rankin said.
The sheriff’s office said they understand if people are frustrated, but they also hope they understand the overall safety message.
“I totally get it. Everybody wants to be safe, no one wants their kids to be hurt on the road,” Fusco said after receiving a warning and a pamphlet from Collazo.
Warnings are ending and tickets are coming.
Violators can face fines of hundreds of dollars and even have their carts towed.