A round of golf can be an enjoyable way to spend the afternoon with friends or clients, and depending on whether you’re trying to calm your nerves or forget a bad round, it’s not uncommon for golfers to indulge in a few adult beverages on the course. It’s also not uncommon for golfers to use golf carts to make the round go a little faster, but as you know if you’re familiar with this blog, drinking and driving don’t mix. If you end up driving a golf cart over the legal limit, can you earn a DUI? In today’s blog, we explore how the state’s DWI law applies to golf carts.
Golf Cart DUI
Although it’s unlikely that you’ll cause as much damage in a golf cart as you would in a standard vehicle, that doesn’t mean that a golf cart is subjected to different DUI laws. An electric, gas or solar powered golf cart would be subjected to the same regulations as a vehicle on a public road. If you are over 0.08, you can end up with a DUI.
Although different vehicles can be viewed in unique ways, the vehicle test really comes down to two factors:
- Is the vehicle powered by something other than human power (gas, electricity, solar power vs. pedaling a bike).
- Is the vehicle primarily used as a form of transportation.
Again, this is not a perfect test, but if it is motor powered and is primarily used for transportation, it is likely considered a vehicle under the eyes of the law and would be subjected to the state’s drunk driving laws.
Now, police are not sitting in the sand trap on 14 hoping to catch an inebriated pair of golfers, but if you were to cause damage to the property or injure another individual, it’s certainly possible that the cops would be called. If they show up in time to see you driving your golf cart and they believe that you are under the influence, they are certainly within their rights to place you under arrest for DWI. They don’t need to wait until you get back in your vehicle after the round to place you under arrest. If you are behind the wheel of a golf cart and over the influence, you could potentially be arrested for DWI.
If you’re going to drink on the golf course this year, make sure you apply the same logic you do when you’re behind the wheel of a standard vehicle. Keep it in check and stay under the legal limit so that you don’t have to worry about a drunk driving charge.
And if you or someone you know makes a mistake and ends up earning a DWI on a golf cart this year, make sure they connect with an experienced law firm who can help them avoid a worst case scenario. For more information, or for help with a different criminal matter, reach out to Avery and the team at Appelman Law Firm today at (952) 224-2277.
