BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Low Speed Vehicle Study Underway
At the last few KICA board meetings, several community
members have expressed concerns about low speed
electric vehicles. The KICA Board of Directors has
considered these concerns and taken action in limiting
and studying the effects of LSVs on community
roadways.
What is a LSV?
Low speed electric vehicles (LSVs) look like golf
carts, but exceed golf cart speeds, and are therefore
treated like an automobile. They must be registered
with the DMV, riders must wear seatbelts and drivers
are required to abide by all traffic laws, making them
subject to
citations
by police.
LSVs are
required by
law to attain
a speed of
20-25 mph
within a
mile and
they are only
permitted on roads having speed limits of 35 mph or
less. They are not permitted on leisure trails or golf
paths.
Low speed electric vehicles are not restricted on
Kiawah. Members may own them (if they are registered
and have a decal) and they are currently available to
rent.
What are the issues with LSVs that members have
presented?
The issues property owners have cited are that LSVs
can hold up traffic and that rules aren’t always
followed, raising safety concerns. Attention has been
primarily focused on LSV renters, who may have less
familiarity with the laws and rules.
How does KICA’s board plan to address the LSV
issues?
Since the issues presented primarily lie with renters, the
board contacted the LSV rental company, Lightning
Bugz Rentals, who developed a pilot program which
will allow KICA to limit the number of rental LSVs
on the island and monitor their use. Beginning in May
a maximum of 12 rented LSVs will be permitted on
Kiawah. All LSVs will be equipped with a GPS to track
their use and location, which will be monitored by
KICA Security.
To educate renters about the rules, Lightning Bugz
Rentals requires sign-off on the rules at registration,
again at pick-up and the rules are posted within each
LSV.
This pilot program is anticipated to run through the
end of the year, after which the board will evaluate the
impact of LSVs.
A call for members to act.
If you see a driver in a Lightning Bugz LSV breaking
the rules, contact [email protected] or 843-768-5566
to report the violation, so that the board will have an
understanding of LSVs’ effect on community life.
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