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 belts in boneStudy: Puttering about on golf carts has its risks By JAY REEVES – 1 day ago BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Beware: Puttering around on golfcarts can be hazardous to your health. Those little vehicles that lurch and buzz past fairways and greens— and increasingly down suburban streets — might be acost-saving alternative to gas-guzzling SUVs and cars. But a pairof studies released this week suggests they do have their risks. The research found that over a four-year period, nearly 50,000people were hurt in accidents involving golf carts. One of the studies, by the University of Alabama at Birmingham,said about 1,000 Americans are hurt on golf carts every month.Males aged 10 to 19 and people over 80 had the highest injuryrates. A separate study by the Center for Injury Research and Policy atNationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, said annualinjury rates for golf carts increased 130 percent over 16 yearsending in 2006. The report said falling or jumping out of cartsaccounted for the largest number of injuries, 38 percent. "Part of it is there are more people using them. Part of it is theyare using them in more places," said Tracy J. Mehan of the injuryresearch center, noting many carts can reach speeds of 25 mph. About half of the injuries occurred on golf courses or in othersports venues, such as football stadiums. The rest were on streetsor residential property. Both studies, released Tuesday, reviewed records from U.S.emergency rooms on accidents involving golf carts. Calls for comment on the studies were not immediately returned byofficials of the National Golf Car Manufacturers Association andAugusta, Ga.-based E-Z-GO, which bills itself as the leadingmanufacturer of golf carts and utility vehicles. On its Web site, the manufacturers association said there were norecent statistics on golf cart ownership or use. But most of thenation's estimated 16,000 golf courses have at least a few dozengolf carts, and more and more, both gas and battery powered, arebeing used for transportation in neighborhoods. UAB researcher Gerald McGwin said some communities encourage theuse of golf carts because of their low pollution levels, quietoperation and presumed safety. "A lot of people perceive golf carts as little more than toys, butour findings suggest they can be quite dangerous, especially whenused on public roads," he said in a statement. McGwin recommends driver education and safety standards for golfcarts, which are largely unregulated. He also called for the use ofhelmets and seat belts and better golf course design to reducesteep hills, sharp curves and other hazards. The Ohio study suggested a minimum driving age of 16 for golf cartsand rules banning children under 6 from riding in them. Drivertraining programs and written safety policies also could help, itsaid. The Ohio report, published in the American Journal of PreventiveMedicine, said about 148,000 people have been treated for injuriesrelated to golf carts since 1990. UAB found there were some 48,255 golf-cart related injuries between2002 and 2005 alone, or an average of about 1,000 each month. The numbers of injuries have been increasing as more people rely ongolf carts for transportation off golf courses. While there wereabout 5,772 injuries in 1990, the number more than doubled to13,411 in 2006. McGwin said bone fractures and head injuries were among the mostcommon injuries detected in his study, published by the Journal ofTrauma: Injury, Infection and Critical Care. "Golf carts are an attractive transportation solution due to theirlow emissions and cost effectiveness when compared to traditionalmotor vehicles," he said. "But more stringent safety standardsshould be applied to the design and use of golf carts, particularlythose operated on public roads." The Consumer Product Safety Commission, in a 2005 report on thehazards of different sports activities and equipment, took note ofgolf carts. "These vehicles are also related to a sizable number of incidentswhere the vehicle tipped over or a rider fell out or was ejected,"the report said. Golf pro Jim Newton hasn't seen any serious golf cart injuries inthe three years since the Ross Bridge Golf Resort and Spa opened insuburban Birmingham. But he said a golfer died on a golf cart whiletrying to cross a busy highway at a course where he once worked. Newton worries more about the safety of area residents who ridecarts on busy streets than the golfers on his course. "Our policy here is supervision. If you monitor it, it greatlyreduces your chances of anything happening. We have two monitors onthe course at all times," he said. "No one is monitoring on thestreet."

2008-06-16 14:09:51