Villages Man Killed After Falling Out of Golf Cart

A 70-year-old man died Saturday evening in The Villages after falling out of a golf cart driven by a 65-year-old Villages resident.

The driver was apparently executing a left turn into a roundabout when he hit a curb, causing the passenger to be ejected.

The 70-year-old Villages man was rushed to the Villages Regional Hospital, where he later died.

The accident is currently being investigated.

This is the second central Florida accident of this kind occurring over the summer months.

In June, a 27-year-old Land O’Lakes woman also died after being ejected from a golf cart in the Lake Padgett Estates East neighborhood.

When the driver of a golf cart causes an accident, it is often because the driver acted in a negligent or careless manner. While golf carts may appear to be harmless, when any vehicle is operated in a reckless manner, the outcome can be can deadly.

Golf cart accidents are usually caused by the following:

• Reckless Driving
• Inattentive or Distracted Driving
• Misjudging the Golf Cart’s Capabilities
• Speeding
• Potholes, Slopes or Uneven Ground

Golf carts, like any motor vehicle, are generally only as dangerous as the drivers who operate them. When a person engages in reckless behavior while behind the wheel of a golf cart, devastating accidents can happen. Drivers and passengers are at an increased risk for an accident when the cart is driven at high speeds or when a driver fails to pay attention to the people, objects and other vehicles around them. When the driver of a cart turns too sharply or hits an object in its path, the driver can easily lose control of the cart and hit someone else, or cause the cart to overturn, usually ejecting any passengers. The potential for serious injuries or death in a golf cart accident is elevated due to the fact that golf carts offer occupants very little protection from injuries. Injuries can range in seriousness from minor cuts, scrapes and bruises to broken bones, head and back injuries and even death.

If you have been injured in a golf cart accident in, or have lost a loved one in a golf cart mishap due to someone else’s carelessness in Lake, Sumter or Marion County, contact The Villages Golf Cart Accident and Injury Lawyers at the Law Offices of Whittel & Melton, LLC online or call 352-369-5334.