Teens cause more golf cart crashes in Peachtree City

This 2015 golf cart collision did not involve a teenager, but shows how vulnerable carts and their occupants are to accidents. Courtesy Peachtree City Police Department

This 2015 golf cart collision did not involve a teenager, but shows how vulnerable carts and their occupants are to accidents. Courtesy Peachtree City Police Department

High school students are responsible for an increase in golf cart collisions, according to the Peachtree City Police Department.

In a message issued Monday, the city said cart collisions rose 33 percent in 2016 over 2015. In the last quarter of 2016, drivers age 14-16 were responsible for 67 percent of the accidents, and 70 percent of the collisions resulted in an injury.

The police department said it will conduct more cart path checkpoints and focus on enforcement in problem areas. City rules allow golf carts to be driven solo by anyone 16 or older, with or without a driver’s license, or by those over 15 with a learner’s permit. Drivers aged 12-14 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.