Golf Cart Lift Kit Modification Leads to Serious Injury for Toddler

Golf Cart Lift Kit Modification Leads to Serious Injury for Toddler

A golf cart with a lift kit modification rolled over when the driver applied the brakes, injuring a 3-year old passenger (read full article here). Lift kits are after-market suspension modifications which lift the body of the golf cart higher off the ground to allow for larger tires to be installed, which are sometimes desired for their aesthetic appeal. This also has the effect of increasing the top speed of the vehicle. Lift kits are a serious safety concern with respect to golf cart rollover since they increase the vehicle’s center of gravity height and thus decrease stability. Non-lifted OEM golf carts are already marginally stable, having a roll stability lower than a typical passenger van, SUV or recreational off-road vehicle. However, when modified with a lift kit, a golf cart’s stability can drop well below that of any other passenger carrying on-road or off-road vehicle resulting in a vehicle that can rollover during foreseeable maneuvers. As a result, lift kits are a dangerous trend in after-market golf cart sales that need to be addressed.