Three people were seriously injured last month when a golf cart drove onto a local road and collided with a motorcycle. First responders and others who viewed the scene described a flaming, melted wreck, and photos from the scene show both vehicles destroyed, with the golf cart reduced to little more than its frame.

All the victims were treated locally then transported to Boston. The motorcyclist suffered significant but non-life-threatening injuries, while the golf cart driver was seriously injured but has since been released.

The passenger in the golf cart, a twenty-three-year-old South Yarmouth woman, suffered third-degree burns and was reported to still be in a medically induced coma more than a week after the crash.

Fault Still Unclear

The crash happened around 9 p.m. on Friday, July 21, on Route 28 in Cotuit. The gas-powered golf cart, which had reportedly been traveling off-road accompanied by an ATV and two dirt bikes, was possibly following a trail that runs under power lines and crosses Route 28 near Geraldine Road, close to one of the village’s main shopping plazas. On a summer Friday evening, the road often sees significant traffic.

Reports of the crash suggest that the motorcycle hit the cart as it was crossing, but many critical details have not been released, such as the speeds of the vehicles, the lighting conditions, and any possible operator impairment. One report has also suggested that the vehicle was not a golf cart, but some kind of “makeshift go-kart.”

No fault has yet been determined, but a Barnstable police spokesman said the department will issue citations once the investigation is complete. Additional legal action could follow.

Surprisingly Dangerous Vehicles

We don’t hear about crashes involving golf carts too often in Massachusetts, but they’re extremely common nationwide. Detailed information is hard to come by, but past studies have estimated that, every year, there are 15,000 or more serious cart crashes that require an emergency room visit.

Deaths are even harder to track, but the experience of a large Florida community with more than 50,000 golf carts is worrisome: The Villages has averaged more than two golf cart fatalities annually since 2008.

In 2015, the Florida Highway Patrol recorded 286 injuries and ten fatalities in cart crashes statewide.

Boston Golf Cart Crash Lawyer

When you’ve been harmed in a crash involving a golf cart, it’s important to work with an attorney who has extensive experience with all kinds of motor vehicle accidents. When it comes to golf carts and other low-speed vehicles, there are special issues of safety design (or lack thereof), traffic regulations, and other considerations that may not be part of a typical car, truck, or motorcycle crash case.

The attorneys at Joel H. Schwartz, PC understand this kind of case, and we offer a free consultation to every new client. Give us a call today at 800-660-2270 or fill out the form below to schedule yours.