Many people in Peachtree City tool around in golf carts, at all times of the day and night and under circumstances that have nothing to do with golf.
Getting around by golf cart is, in fact, a virtual industry in Peachtree City, with 10,000-plus carts motoring around on approximately 90 miles of specially designed paths.
That is becoming a problem, say local officials, since a good many of the carts' drivers engage in reckless driving.
And drunk driving, to an impressive degree. Of the 257 drivers arrested for DUI in Peachtree City since the beginning of 2010, 17 of them were sitting in golf carts.
Peachtree City Police Lt. Mark Brown wants cart drivers to know that enforcement officials are always watching closely for dangerous driving, and that the rules that apply to other motorized vehicles also apply to golf carts.
"What people forget about golf carts is they're not toys," Brown says. "They are vehicles under Georgia law and they're very dangerous." He points to the 72 golf cart accidents that have occurred inside the city over the past 18 months to buttress his view.
Many city residents express gratitude for the noticeable police presence on the cart paths. "A lot of teenagers don't know what they're doing, and I really appreciate it and support it," says one.
The State Legislature has passed a law that makes golf carts street legal everywhere in the state from January 1, 2012. As a result, traffic enforcement agencies in other municipalities may soon be calling Brown and his fellow officers for information and advice.
Related Resource: Peachtree City 11Alive, "Peachtree City: Police crack down on golf cart DUIs" May 31, 2011
