JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The age to legally drive a golf cart in Florida will officially be going up in October.
Currently, golf carts can be driven by anyone 14 years old or older. The bill would raise the age to 15 and further requires that a person operating it to have a valid learner’s driver's license or driver's license.
Gov. DeSantis signed the bill into law Thursday. It goes into effect October 1, 2023.
A person who is 18 years of age or older will have to possess a valid form of government-issued photographic identification. A violation of the law would include a noncriminal traffic infraction.
It was filed by Representative Cyndi Stevenson, who represents parts of St. Johns.
"As we adopt new options for mobility, safety regulations will also have to evolve," Stevenson previously told First Coast News. "We are seeing more people in the ER with serious avoidable injuries. This bill is a common-sense way to reduce pain, suffering, trips to the ER, and even loss of life. This is the kind of work the public expects us to do in Tallahassee."
According to the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office, golf carts can only be driven on designated public roads with speed limits no faster than 25 miles per hour.