Coker said more municipalities are legalizing golf carts and ATVs because they are more popular and cheaper than slow moving vehicles, which typically cost between $7,500 and more than $16,000. Illinois generally does not allow golf carts to be used on its roads unless owners convert them to low-speed vehicles. The objective of the City of Pontiac`s Golf Cart Order is to permit the use of golf carts on city streets with a speed limit of 35 miles per hour or less for golf carts adapted to the specifications of a low-speed vehicle equipment according to 49 CFR 571,500. ALL GOLF CARTS MUST BE REGISTERED WITH THE PONTIAC POLICE. All operators must have a valid driver`s license. It is ultimately your responsibility to be aware of these differences and to verify compliance with relevant laws and regulations. According to current NHTSA interpretations and regulations, golf cars and other similar vehicles, as long as they cannot exceed 20 miles per hour, are only subject to state and local safety equipment requirements. However, if these vehicles were originally manufactured to travel at more than 20 miles per hour, they are treated as motor vehicles under federal law. Is a license and registration required? For LSVs, yes (the cost of titles is $30, plus registration is $18). No registration is required for golf carts, but a valid driver`s license is required. The display of a slow vehicle emblem is also required at the rear of the car. The low-speed vehicle (LSV) officially established itself as a new class of transportation in 1998 and is completely different from the golf cart.
At that time, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) introduced a new standard. You must run on four wheels, weigh less than 3,000 pounds and have a maximum speed of no more than 25 miles per hour. Illinois` golf cart laws do not require them to be registered, but for a LSV, they must complete the same paperwork as any other vehicle to obtain title and registration. This can be done in any office of the Secretary of State that provides a driving service on behalf of the Ministry of Motor Vehicles. The required forms are available online and the process is relatively simple and must be completed annually. Jessica Cicchino, vice president of research at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, said golf carts are not accident-proof, according to Pew Trusts. A vehicle or SUV can weigh four times more than a golf cart, and the smallest vehicle simply can`t keep up. You are more likely to suffer significant or fatal injuries in a golf cart accident than if you were part of the same collision in a vehicle. Cicchino is particularly concerned about elderly people who may drive, or a passenger in the golf cart. Older people are already more likely to be injured in a fall, but have less protection in the golf cart. There are many advantages to allowing golf cars on local roads.
You can save money on gasoline and reduce your environmental impact. Golf carts can even force anyone to slow down and stick to 35-mile-per-hour speed limits. However, there are also potential setbacks. Therefore, you should follow all the rules and regulations regarding the use of shopping carts in your area. For more information on federal laws regarding golf carts and low-speed vehicles, click here. Illinois state law allows local jurisdictions to authorize the use of golf carts on city streets “if the local government unit determines that public safety is not threatened.” You can be a careful driver when you are in your golf cart; However, you cannot control the driver`s actions on the road. Golf carts can never drive or cross a toll road, highway or controlled access road. If you have been injured in a collision with a golf cart on your local road, please do not hesitate to contact Staver Accident Injury Lawyers, P.C. at (312) 236-2900. For example, golf cart rules are often quite restrictive in this state, but lax at other times. An inspection by the Pontiac Police Service is required and will be helpful in determining the correct equipment required, but it does not relieve you of your legal obligation to confirm that your vehicle meets ALL requirements to include all sub-referenced sections of the above laws. To be clear, it is YOU who certifies compliance, not the City of Pontiac.
City of Pontiac Golf Cart Operating Order 2010-O-015 (PDF) Illinois cities aren`t the only ones implementing this change. States and municipalities in the United States have passed various laws that allow golf carts in certain areas and with different speed limits. The International Light Transportation Vehicle Association reported that 35 Illinois municipalities had enacted golf cart ordinances, while 7 percent of municipalities nationwide had done the same. This factor may be confusing for some, but just treat your cart like a regular car. Where can I drive? Any street in the city with a speed limit of 35 mph or less. These are basically all the streets of the city. At this point, you`re fully prepared to drive your car legally in Illinois. LSVs must operate at all times in accordance with the Illinois Vehicle Code and traffic rules contained in the notice, as well as all other laws and regulations relating to off-road vehicles.
You cannot cross a road or road with a speed limit greater than 45 miles per hour unless the intersection is at an intersection controlled by traffic lights or a 4-lane stop sign. LSVs may look like a golf cart to the casual observer, but they are actually a motor vehicle that requires a valid driver`s license, registration, and insurance. Beyond the above improvements, your cart must weigh less than 3,000 pounds and be able to reach speeds of up to 20 miles per hour but less than 25 miles per hour. Previously, municipalities had to issue local ordinances before LSVs could use local roads. Now, however, a municipality must issue an ordinance to ban LSV on its streets. Illinois Operation of Non-Highway Vehicles on Roads 625 ILCS 5/11-1426.1 Golf carts do not have a vehicle identification number and do not meet all the safety requirements required for an LSV, such as windshield, seat belts, turn signals, rollover protection and four-wheel brakes. Illinois has two new laws on its books that affect the road use of low-speed vehicles and golf carts. Also, if you drive a golf cart, you must follow the same rules as motorists. You must have a valid driver`s license, follow traffic rules and not drive drunk. The vehicles themselves must meet a certain standard.
The law requires that a golf cart or other off-road vehicle have: You may not imagine someone driving a golf cart on Lake Shore Drive, but using golf carts on local roads makes a lot more sense in less populated areas of the state. According to Southern Illinoisan, dozens of communities allowed golf carts on the roads in mid-2015 and the number has only increased.
