INTERNATIONAL LIGHT VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION
GOLF COURSE SAFETY GUIDELINES
Introduction
The ILTVA recommended Golf Course Safety Guidelines that follow are intended only as recommendations and are referred to in ANSI/ILTVA Z130.1 Golf Car Safety and Performance Specifications.[1] The Golf Course Safety Guidelines are intended to enhance the safety and enjoyment of the game of golf.
These guidelines are intended to help golf course management assure the golf course is compatible with the designed capabilities of the golf car. Golf course owners should also consult their own legal and risk management advisors to assure identification and mitigation of risks are complete. ILTVA cautions that the following recommendations may be impacted by various factors, including local conditions, federal, state, and local law, regulations, and policy. If deemed appropriate by the course owner, these guidelines, together with other safety rules deemed useful by management, may be adopted and published as course policy.
Issues Not Addressed
ILTVA has endeavored to give you useful and accurate information in these guidelines. But laws, regulations, procedures and their interpretation by judicial and other authorities change frequently and are subject to differing interpretations. Further, there are numerous safety issues relating to golf courses and not especially material to golf car operations. For example, OSHA regulations regarding hazardous materials communications standards and EPA, state and local government requirements pertaining to, e.g., pesticides application, certification, posting and notification, are not discussed herein, but should certainly be components of a comprehensive golf course safety survey. Likewise, walking areas, e.g., slopes adjacent to tees, steps and bridges are not addressed herein, but should be scrutinized to ensure they are safe and not conducive to “ slip and fall” injuries. If you use these guidelines, it is your responsibility to make sure that the facts and general advice contained in it are applicable to your situation.
Disclaimer
ILTVA, its directors, officers, members and agents disclaim any responsibility for the completeness, relevance, timeliness, accuracy or currency of any of the information contained in the guidelines which follow. Users of the guidelines are cautioned to verify on their own initiative, with the assistance of their own legal or risk management counsel, the appropriateness, applicability and currency of recommendations contained in the guidelines. While ILTVA may endeavor to supplement or update these guidelines in the future, it does not undertake any obligation to do so.[2]
1. Safety Audit Committee
It is recommended you appoint a safety audit team (committee) to be responsible for periodic inspections and recommendations to the golf course owner or governing board. The team should include representatives of the owner, management, golf course employees and golf course maintenance employees.[3] It is recommended that the golf course owner have its legal counsel or risk management consultant be an adjunct of the team.
After each periodic survey of the golf course, the team should review its findings and make recommendations to the golf course owners/managers. You should consider consulting with your risk management consultant and legal counsel prior to accepting or rejecting safety audit committee recommendations.[4]
The safety audit team should also review each reported incident that resulted in an accident or injury and each complaint that was safety related. Mitigation of safety risks can be accomplished effectively and efficiently by using a team of trained and committed employees. Serving on the safety audit team can raise each employee’s awareness and understanding of safety policies and guidelines.
2. The Initial Safety Audit
The initial safety audit of the golf course should begin with a complete tour of the golf course and its support areas with by the entire audit team to provide an overview and baseline orientation for your safety team.
3. The Checklist
.01 Safety Policy
The Safety Policy should be published and publicly posted. The Safety Policy of the golf course should be authored by your safety team, and approved by the golf course owner or governing board, posted and published.
.02 Golf Car Traffic
Separate pedestrians, golf car traffic, and motor vehicle traffic. Where possible, segregate the various types of traffic with physical barriers, e.g., curbs.[5]
Avoid cross-flowing traffic for golf cars. Frequently there are areas around the golf car storage facility or the clubhouse where golf cars are not traveling in an orderly fashion or separated by a safe distance or both. Organize the flow of the golf cars to minimize opportunities to collide head-on or in a perpendicular direction to help reduce accidents.
Clearly mark golf car intersections and right of ways. Use signs similar to street signs that conform to American National Safety Institute Sign Standards[6] to help avoid accidents at intersections. Intersections need to have clear visibility for approaching vehicles.
.03 Street Crossings
Avoid surface street crossings where feasible; seek alternative non-grade street crossing methods, e.g., tunnels and bridges.
Numerous jurisdictions now have ordinances regulating street use and street crossings by golf cars and similar vehicles. It is recommended you have legal counsel check with the relevant governmental or subdivision authorities to ascertain what is required.
Golf cars should stop and yield the right of way to motor vehicles at street crossings. The golf course should have signs warning the golf car operator to stop at each crossing of a street or driveway meant for motor vehicles.
Golf car street crossings should have warning signs indicating the crossing to motor vehicles.[7] Working with the local authorities or homeowners association to clearly mark golf car and pedestrian street crossings with warning signs and painted street crossings may reduce the potential for accidents.
Intersections between golf car paths and roadways traversed by motor vehicles should be clear of vegetation, other barriers impeding or preventing full view of the roadway by the golf car operator and vice versa.[8]
.04 Golf Car Paths
Golf car paths are generally recommended for golf courses. The golf car path should be conspicuous to the operator.
Dead end golf car paths on slopes should provide a turn around area adequate to turn the car around without backing up.
To reduce the possibility of an accident, avoid creating a situation where the golf car must be put in reverse.
Curbing should be avoided adjacent to golf car paths to avoid potential injury to golf car occupants upon leaving the vehicle. If necessary to protect growing or damaged turf, the use of temporary or removable barriers is considered more desirable than permanent curbing; the barrier should be comprised of flexible, soft material and conspicuously marked.
Golf car paths should have warning signs located in advance of a descent if the grade is greater that 10%.[9]
Golf car paths should have warning signs conforming to Section 9B of the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices in advance of any hill, turn or sharp curve not visible to the operator for a minimum of fifty (50) feet prior to entering the turn or sharp curve
When descending golf car paths, use service brake to control speed.
Paved grades greater than 20% are not recommended. It is recommended unpaved grades should be less than 10%. Inattention, lack of operator skill and fear can result in poor decisions and loss of control while on steep grades. Traction on unpaved surfaces, especially when wet, is much lower than on paved surfaces. It is preferable to have golf car paths paved with concrete or asphalt with high traction finishes. Loose gravel, debris, or materials with low traction characteristics should be avoided. If speed bumps or humps are used, place them on level terrain prior to descent of golf car path. Use of speed bumps or humps on grades may cause loss of operator control.[10]
Loose debris should not be on the golf car path. Loose material can result in hazardous situations or loss of control of the golf car. Each morning prior to course play, and after storms, golf car paths should be routinely checked for leaves, limbs, and other debris that may collect after a storm, at night or as a result of construction activity.
Golf car path bumps, potholes and other damaged areas should be repaired promptly. Potholes, bumps and other damaged areas should be repaired to avoid potential for loss of control of the golf car.
Golf cars should not be operated on side slopes greater than 15%. Steep slopes contribute to operator fear and poor judgment that could result in loss of control.
Intersections should be controlled with stop signs. A stop sign will slow the traffic and may reduce the probability and the severity of an accident.
Avoid decreasing radius curves. Operators who are focused on playing golf may not notice the reduction in turning radius soon enough to slow to a safe speed on a decreasing radius curve.
Golf car paths should not have negative super elevations (, i.e., sloped downward toward the outside of a curve). Super elevations on golf car paths should be limited to 4% (1/2 inch per foot) or less on straight sections of the golf car path. Positive super elevations on curves should be reviewed with risk management consultants or a civil engineer. Curves should be properly banked to avoid negative super elevation.[11]
Bumps, drains, bridges, stumps, tight curves and other hazards should be clearly marked. Use of smaller versions of standard signs used by the state highway department and complying with ANSI Z535-1, 2, 3 and 4 can make information easy to recognize.
Standing water should be drained from the golf car path. To avoid loss of golf car control, maintain golf car paths free of standing water.
Streams should not be forded if the stream is more than 2 inches (5 centimeters) deep to avoid getting the brakes wet. Wet brake shoes/pads take time to dry and resume full effectiveness.
Golf car paths should be at least 6 feet (1.8 meters) wide and over 12 feet (3.6 meters) wide where golf cars are traveling in both directions. Golf car paths should be 12 inches (30 centimeters) wider on curves. Proper golf car path widths reduce golf car damage and personal injury due to collisions or loss of control.
Golf car paths should avoid crossing the line of play, and avoid normal golf ball landing areas. The traffic direction should be away from the direction of play. The preferred location for golf car paths is parallel to and at some distance from the fairway.
Guardrails should be provided where golf car paths are in close proximity to or traverse lakes, streams, ravines, bridges, and steep slopes. All stair steps, bridges and ramps should be equipped with 42 inches (107 centimeters) high handrails. Bridges and ramps used by golf cars should have rub rails at the same height as the center of the tires on the golf cars and a containment rail at 16 inches (40 centimeters) above the surface. Any walking area that potentially results in a 48 inch (122 centimeter) fall should have a handrail 42 inches (107 centimeters) high.
.05 Parking Areas
Golf Car parking areas[12] should be situated on an approximately level plane, i.e., on a slope of less than 5% grade. Provide markers to encourage operators to leave a sufficient space between golf cars to ensure safety and access.
.06 Disabled Golfers and the ADA
Golf cars transporting disabled golfers may need access to areas normally off limits to golf cars. Users are cautioned to consult their own legal counsel for specific ADA requirements that may apply at the time of new construction or revision to their golf courses.[13] Distinctly private clubs are exempt under the public accommodations provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”). However, when a distinctly private club hosts a public event, it likely becomes a public accommodation, at least to the extent the facilities are made available to the public.
.07 Golf and Utility Car Operation and Maintenance[14]
Fleet,[15] golf and utility cars vehicles should be maintained in accordance with the manufacturer’s owner and service manuals. Personal golf cars[16], if permitted by the golf course management or owner, should be inspected periodically to assure the car has been maintained and the steering and brakes function properly.[17] Inadequately maintained personal golf cars can be a hazard to other golfers, course features and the operator and creates potential liability claims against the course owner or operator.
Excessive speed may result in damage to the course, injury to passengers and other golfers and increases the potential for accidents.
Personal golf cars should be equipped with the proper tires for the surface normally used and sized pursuant to manufacturers’ specifications.[18] Narrow replacement tires can cause damage to the course, and larger diameter tires result in excess speed and control problems. Incorrect tires affect steering, braking, stability and suspension performance.
Operators of personal golf cars should provide proof of adequate comprehensive liability and property damage insurance.[19] Accidents involving personal cars increase golf course liability risk. This is especially the case where the course requires the personal golf car owner to allow other players to ride as passengers and pay a golf car license or rental fee to the course.
Seat Belts on golf cars are not recommended for golf course usage. Golf car sun canopies may not provide adequate overhead protection. Use of seat belts without adequate overhead protection may result in severe injury or death.