jan
2019
feature article
However, a crash between a golf cart and pickup
truck on Nov. 26 resulted in the death of 88-year-
old Frederick Kaiser, according to a Florida High-
way Patrol incident report. Kaiser hit his head on
the pavement after the collision threw him from
his seat. He was taken to Ocala Regional Hospital
where he died a few days later.
“The wrong place at the wrong time. That’s all it
takes,” Long said, recalling his own close call a
few months back where a driver nearly ran into
him after missing a turn.
Long’s seat belt installation involves five pieces,
which take 20 minutes to secure on the cart. The
average cost of installation ranges from $90 to
$160. While installations get pricier if there’s a
custom fit involved, Long feels it’s worth every
penny.
“Why take a chance of being the one who dies in
your golf cart? It’s a small amount to pay to save
your life.”
Babiarz Law Firm takes on personal injury cases
within The Villages area. Some of their most com-
mon calls are regarding clients recently involved
in golf cart accidents. Golf cart accidents weren’t
exactly what Tim Babiarz had in mind at first.
“Over time it evolved into part of my practice,”
said Tim Babiarz, who has practiced law for near-
ly 25 years.
In addition to court duties, Babiarz leads a com-
munity golf cart safety seminar. He’s gotten into
the habit of asking participants how many have
seatbelts in their carts. In 2010, 15-percent admit-
ted to having the accessory in their vehicles. The
number has dramatically increased in the last de-
cade, according to Babiarz. In September, 80-per-
cent raised their hand for the same question.
6
“The word is getting out. They can make or break
your surviving a crash or surviving it in good
shape,” Babiarz said.
WWW.GOLFCAROPTIONS.COM
There are no existing Florida laws demanding the
use of seatbelts in golf carts.
Traditionally, golf carts aren’t meant to travel fast-
er than 20 miles per hour. If the cart goes faster
than this, it is considered a low-speed vehicle and
its users would effectively need to wear a seatbelt
according to Florida law. But seatbelt or not, the
frequent use and popularity of golf carts on The
Villages roads stack the chances of getting into an
accident against drivers.
There are various reasons people use to justify
not installing a seatbelt. One of Long’s customers
confessed he believed his reflexes would save
him by allowing him to jump out of the cart be-
fore it crashed. Others have gotten creative with
their homemade seatbelts.
“One man was using bungee cords to strap him-
self in,” he said. “That’s not gonna save you.”
From The Villages, the nearest trauma centers
are in Ocala and Orlando. When residents get
into accidents, they have to travel approximately
an hour for appropriate medical help. For seri-
ous injuries, a medical airlift can cost on average
between $12,000 and $25,000.
“Just that alone, your return on investment for
a 160 dollar seatbelt is amazing,” Babiarz said.
“They’re an investment but if that seat belt helps
save you from injuries, that’s a good thing.”
While there are currently no proposed laws to
add seatbelts to golf carts in the state, Babiarz
believes it’s only a matter of time before this
changes. Long knows trying to encourage the
purchase of seatbelts is tough as long as it’s a
driver’s personal choice.
“I try not to judge because I ride my motorcycle
without a helmet,” he said. “Some say it’s danger-
ous. I just like the way it feels. They must think
the same way.”