FHP: 3 year old golf cart driver hits 7 year old

MIAMI – According to a press release from the Florida Highway Patrol, a 3-year-old child driving a golf cart hit and killed a 7-year-old child in Fort Myers on Monday afternoon.

The press release said the 3-year-old was approaching a right turn near a privately owned home when the front of the cart hit the 7-year-old in the yard.

The report says that the eldest child was taken to the hospital and pronounced dead. The 3-year-old child was not hurt.

Concerns about underage golf cart operators in Florida recently prompted the passage of a new state law, according to CNN affiliate WJFX. Anyone under the age of 18 will soon need a permit or driver’s license to drive a golf cart, the radio station said last month.

The bill was signed into law by Governor Ron DeSantis and goes into effect October 1.

It does not specify the age at which minors can start driving golf carts, but it does state that all minors must have a permit or driver’s license to legally drive a golf cart in Florida. WJFX advises that drivers in Florida must be at least 15 years old and have parental consent to obtain a permit.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, more than 6,500 children are injured each year by golf carts nationwide. Slightly more than half of the victims are children under 12 years old.