Letter: County overreaches on Daufuskie golf carts

The Beaufort County initiative to allow night driving on golf carts on Daufuskie Island is in response to the recent amendment of the South Carolina state law on golf cart operation, although the actual wording of the law seems to have been lost.

That amendment states the county “may enact an ordinance allowing for the operation of a golf cart at night on designated portions of the county, provided the golf cart is equipped with working headlights and rear lights.”

This only addresses night driving in a golf cart and is an extension of an earlier amendment legalizing operation of golf carts on public roads and streets. The County Council has decided to apply the rule only to Daufuskie Island, where the potential impact would be the least, and where carts on the roads are in the majority.

But in contrast to the state requirement, the County Council has proposed that several other features are required to drive at night, such as a horn, mirrors, a VIN/serial number, an acrylic windshield, and a parking brake.

Daufuskie Island has little traffic and is very dark at night, so having lights on both ends of the cart ensures visibility either coming or going. However, the other requirements seem to have little relation to driving at night.

Daufuskie Island also has not experienced many (if any) recent multi-vehicle accidents, especially at night. There really isn’t a need for all of the additional “safety” equipment. County Council should simply satisfy the state law and allow night driving (with lights).

This story was originally published April 7, 2017 at 3:26 PM with the headline "Letter: County overreaches on Daufuskie golf carts."