The weather is turning warmer, Spring is in the air and soon people from across the world will flock to Tybee for a little surf, sun and fun. That means it’s time we had “the talk”. You know the one I mean…golf carts. For years now, there seems to have been a misunderstanding about what you can and cannot do while operating a golf cart in Georgia. Based on our experience, many people fall somewhere between believing there are little-to-no rules and Mad Max “Beyond Thunderdome”. In reality, carts are subject to all of the same laws that govern motor vehicles. That’s why I wanted to take a moment to address a few of the biggest problems we’ve seen in years past:

Driving Under the Influence. Despite what your cousin Vinny told you, I assure you that you can and WILL be arrested for driving under the influence on a golf cart. This is a fact that too many people have learned the hard way after being caught running stop signs, weaving, committing Hit and Run and even falling from the driver’s seat while the cart is in motion. If you plan for alcohol to be part of your summer celebrations, remember to save yourself some heartache by designating a sober driver or using one of the many ride share services available.

Child Passengers. All too often, our team spots someone driving a golf cart with one hand, while they cradle an infant on their lap with the other. I get it. It’s your kid and you’re being extra careful. It’s also not you that I’m worried about. If your cart were to get hit by a vehicle, you won’t be able to maintain your grip and I don’t like responding to calls about injured kids. Per Georgia law, all child passengers under the age of eight are required to be restrained in an appropriate child safety seat or booster seat while a vehicle is in motion. Unfortunately, many safety seats are not designed to be placed in a golf cart. That means if you’re traveling with young children, you may want to make other arrangements for transportation around the island.

Driver’s Licenses. Just like with any other motor vehicle, you’re required to have a valid license to operate a golf cart on the roadways of Georgia. That means your 12 year old can’t serve as a designated driver or shuttle the other kids around the island while their parents their parents are on the beach. Of course, we’re not likely to arrest a pre-teen. Instead, that ticket falls back on their parent or guardian for allowing an unlicensed person to drive. Please help us keep everyone, including the kids, safe by making them wait until their old enough to drive before they take the cart for a spin.

At this point I probably seem like a little bit of a buzzkill, but the truth is, I’m looking out for YOU. The  men and women of the Tybee Island Police Department are hard at work enforcing the law 24/7 and if there’s one takeaway from the article, let it be this: Your safety is important to us. That’s all for now. I’ll see you on the beach…