Pasco youth, critically injured driving ATV, initiates public education campaign re. low speed vehicles
At 10:27 pm on Friday night, August 18, 2023, a 9 year-old boy from San Antonio, Florida was critically injured while driving a 2016 Polaris Ranger side-by-side all terrain vehicle (ATV) in Pasco County, Florida. The crash occurred on the south grass shoulder of the eastbound lane of State Road 52, west of Palm Street. The boy was driving the ATV, with his 34 year-old father, also a resident of San Antonio, Florida, as his passenger. Neither was wearing a seatbelt.
The press release stated that a Toyota Camry sedan, driven by a 54 year-old man from Dade City, Florida, whose passenger was a 52 year-old woman, also from Dade City, was also traveling eastbound on State Road 52, when the 9 year-old driver of the ATV attempted to cross State Road 52 and collided with the right rear of the sedan as it was passing.
The impact from the collision caused the ATV to rotate and overturn in the westbound lane of State Road 52 before coming to rest on the north shoulder in a ditch that runs parallel to the roadway.
The child's father suffered minor injuries.
The two occupants of the sedan were not injured as a result of the crash.
As a result of this incident, the Florida Deparment of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) issued a press release and a PAMPHLET, "Guide to Owning Low Speed Vehicles" that can be downloaded at
www.flhsmv.gov/pdf/mv/lowspeedvehicles.pdf and a VIDEO that can be accessed here:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HJZCZrnDM4
CONSUMER EDUCATION - LOW SPEED VEHICLES (LSV)
Florida’s mild climate makes outdoor activities a year-round option. Low speed vehicles (LSV), golf carts and off-highway vehicles (OHV) are a great way to enjoy local communities and natural spaces. It is important that consumers understand the differences between LSVs, golf carts and OHVs, the traffic laws applying to these vehicles, and the regulations regarding registration, titling and insurance.
Section 320.01(41), Florida Statutes, defines LSVs as “any four-wheeled vehicle whose top speed is greater than 20 miles per hour, but not greater than 25 miles per hour.” LSVs must be registered, titled and insured with personal injury protection (PIP) and property damage liability (PDL) insurance. Any person operating an LSV must have a valid driver license in their immediate possession.
LSVs may be operated only on streets where the posted speed limit is 35 MPH or less and must be equipped with the following safety equipment:
Headlamps
Front and rear turn signals
Stop lamps
Tail lamps
Reflex reflectors, red – one each side and one on the rear
Exterior mirror on the driver side and an interior rear-view mirror or exterior mirror on passenger side
Parking brake
Windshield
Seat belt for each designated seat
a Vehicle identification number (VIN).
To title and register an LSV, take the following documents to a Motor Vehicle Service Center:
Manufacturer’s Certificate of Origin
Form HSMV 82040 (Application for Title)
Proof of Florida insurance (minimum $10,000 PDL and $10, 000 PIP)
Identification: driver license, ID card or passport
Applicable fees
Title fee
Plate fee
Initial registration fee, if applicable
Registration fee (varies by weight of vehicle)
Golf Carts
Golf carts are defined in section 320.01(22), Florida Statutes, as “a motor vehicle that is designed and manufactured for operation on a golf course for sporting or recreational purposes and that is not capable of exceeding speeds of 20 miles per hour.” Golf carts may be operated on roadways that are designated for golf carts with a posted speed limit of 30 mph or less. Golf carts may also cross a portion of a county road which intersects a roadway that is approved for golf carts, or that intersects a golf course or mobile home park. In both examples the roadway should have signs posted that golf carts share the roadway. The operation of golf carts on roads must comply with any more restrictive ordinances enacted by local government and should be verified prior to operating these vehicles.
Golf carts are not required to be titled or registered and, therefore, are not required to be insured with PIP and PDL insurance coverage. Golf cart operators are not required to have a driver license; however, to operate a golf cart on designated public roadways, a person must be 14 years or older.
Converted Golf Carts
Golf carts can be converted to LSVs (see LSV safety equipment requirements above). Buyers should be aware that if a golf cart has been modified to an LSV, the registration and title date do not reflect the manufacture date (age of the vehicle). Instead, it indicates the year it was registered and titled. This means that the vehicle could be older than the date listed on the title.
Titling and Registering a Converted Golf Cart
The converted golf cart must be street-legal before applying for title and registration. Prior to titling and registering a converted golf cart, the applicant must present photographs of the front, back, and both sides (4 total) of the converted vehicle to a Motorist Services Regional Office along with the following documents and fees for an inspection, VIN assignment, title, and registration:
Manufacturer’s Certificate of Origin or a bill of sale for the golf cart Form HSMV 84490 (Statement of Builder) completed by customer and Compliance Examiner/Inspector
Form HSMV 86064 (Affidavit for Golf Cart Modified to a Low Speed Vehicle)
Original bill(s) of sale or receipt(s) for all parts used to convert the golf cart to a low speed vehicle
Certified weight slip for the converted golf cart
Form HSMSV 82040 (Application for Title)
Proof of Florida insurance (minimum $10,000 PDL and $10,000 PIP)
Sales tax or sales tax exemption information for all parts
Identification: driver license, ID card or passport
Applicable fees:
Inspection fee
Title fee
Plate fee
Initial registration fee, if applicable
Registration fee (varies by weight of vehicle)