A new law that takes effect on October 1st requires minors to have at least a learner's permit in order to drive a golf cart in Florida.
Elizabeth Zapata says she frequently sees kids driving golf carts in Wellington.
"They don't know how to stop," Zapata explained. "They just don't know how to respect the stop signs. They keep on going."
The law, House Bill 949, was approved by Governor Ron DeSantis back in May.
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Under the bill, golf cart drivers under age 18 must be at least 15 with a learner's permit or 16 with a driver's license.
Wellington student Santiago Castano is a long way from driving himself, but thinks it's a good idea.
"I see all these crosswalks and the signs of walking and whenever I walk by, I see all these guys just going around on the golf cart," he said. "They don't even stop at the red light."
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Golf carts are a way Wellington residents avoid school traffic. Village leaders passed their own ordinance to increase safety regulations for golf cart usage. Wellington Vice Mayor Michael Napoleone said he’s happy to see the state getting on board.
"I think it was smart of the state to realize that just the age alone does not qualify you to drive a golf cart because you're driving a vehicle on the road and you should have some sort of training minimal level of training before you're allowed to do that,” he said.
If you don’t abide by the new state law, the penalty is a noncriminal traffic infraction with a fine of up to $108.
The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office said they’re going to focus on educating the public first and ultimately, it will come down to everyone doing their part.
“A lot of it still comes down to parental responsibility…until they’re mature enough, and have a license to drive one,” Napoleone added.
Florida law had previously allowed anyone 14 and older to drive a golf cart.
