Major injuries occurring during use of a golf cart.

Abstract

Major trauma following a mishap with a golf cart is an unreported problem. This study details injury types and the various mechanisms by which the accidents occurred. Recommendations are made regarding preventive measures that should be observed for safe operation of a golf cart. Two hundred eighty orthopedic surgeons from 37 states were polled concerning their experience with injuries directly resulting from use of a golf cart. One hundred nineteen surgeons reported a total of 111 injuries with adverse outcomes including death, spinal cord injury, and various chronic disabilities of an extremity. The use of a golf cart has the potential to cause serious trauma. The mechanisms of the accident indicate that obvious measures may be observed to lessen the likelihood of an injury.