GENTRY — Drivers of golf carts using public roadways in Gentry may soon find themselves ticketed by police and going to court for driving an unauthorized vehicle on a public road or highway.
Police are seeing a number of golf carts being used as passenger vehicles to go to local stores and businesses, according to Gentry Police Chief Keith Smith, but the practice is against state law, Smith said.
“It doesn’t matter whether they are electric or gasoline powered,” Smith said, “they’re not legal on the streets and highways.”
The carts are not capable of driving at street and highway speeds and do not meet federal safety requirements for passenger vehicles and so are restricted from street and highway use under state law.
Smith has directed his officers to give one warning to drivers of any golf carts seen on city streets and then write tickets.
He said he’s hoping to stop the practice of driving golf carts around town before someone gets hurt.
“I certainly don’t wantunderage drivers to think it’s OK to be out on the streets and highways in golf carts,” he said.
A 2008 opinion by Arkansas Attorney General Dustin Mc Daniel includes the following: “The only statute in the Arkansas Code that deals specifically with the operation of golf carts on streets and highways is found at A.C.A. § 14-54-1410. That section mainly deals with the operation of golf carts on city streets; however it also recognizes that the operation of golf carts on federal and state highways is prohibited, stating: ‘Operation shall not be authorized on city streets which are also designated as federal or state highways.’ A.C.A. § 14-54-1410(a) (1998).While the statute gives some discretion to municipalities on whether to permit the operation of golf carts on city streets, this discretion is extremely limited. See A.C.A. § 14-54-1410(b). A municipality may only authorize the operation of golf carts ‘from the owner’s place of residence to the golf course and to return from the golf course to the owner’s residence.’”
Driving a golf cart on a public road or highway is a misdemeanor offence under Arkansas law.
News, Pages 2 on 06/23/2010