Miami Springs residents have teamed up with Councilman Victor Vazquez in attempt to legalize regular golf carts for Miami Springs streets. As part of tonight’s agenda, they’ve included a 2015 study from the Corradino Group shown below.
In case you’re wondering: “Aren’t golf carts already legal in Miami Springs?”
The answer is NO.
Only Low Speed Vehicles (LSVs) are legal in Miami Springs streets.
What’s the difference between a Golf Cart and a Low speed Vehicle?
Golf Cart: a motor vehicle that is designed and manufactured for operation on a golf course for sporting or recreational purposes and that is not capable of exceeding speeds of 20 miles per hour.
Low Speed Vehicle: means any four-wheeled vehicle whose top speed is greater than 20 miles per hour but not greater than 25 miles per hour, including, but not limited to, neighborhood electric vehicles. Low-speed vehicles must comply with the safety standards in 49 C.F.R
OPINION
We already have residents riding bikes, rollerblading, and riding electric scooters on the streets of Miami Springs. Why not legalize golf carts? Can an accident happen? Of course. No different than an accident with a bicycle, electric scooter, etc.
Miami Springs is a Country Club Community. Our founder, Glenn Curtiss, originally named our community, “Country Club Estates.” We should attempt to continue to add to the Country Club amenities within our Country Club Community. And that includes the ability to drive golf carts within our beautiful community.
Plus, with gas prices approaching $5 a gallon, driving an electric golf cart around town will provide a quiet alternative to a gas powered vehicle. We love this idea and fully support expanding the ability for residents to use golf carts on our public roads.
What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments section below or via social media.
I completely agree!!! Golf carts that do not exceed 20 mph should be allowed to operate within the residential city limits of Miami Springs, especially since most of the speed limits range from 20 to 35 mph. Instead of forcing residents to spend $300 to $500 to obtain a FL DMV registration and insurance for a golf cart, the Miami Springs council can pass an ordinance that still requires the safety features (i.e. seatbelts, functional traffic lights, etc.) and charge an annual registration fee of $50 to $100 for a decal residents are required to be display on the windshield to operate the golf cart on Miami Springs roads.
The decal can be in the shape of a golf cart issued upon passing a safety inspection at the police station.
Golf carts without a properly displayed decal can be fined $50 or more if they don’t have safety equipment.
I think this would be a win win!
Fantastic news!
I run the Bays Cart Club for Palmetto Bay and Cutler Bay. We have over 2,300 members.
It looks like you have done some great homework on golf carts and suitability on public roads. I would like to offer some help on developing the ordinance, as I have been trying to implement a new one in Palmetto Bay and Cutler Bay that address safety via the number one cause of golf cart accidents with injuries, and the number one injury sustained from those accidents. I would love to use Miami Springs as the model for this new ordinance. Please reach out to me.