Children are harmed by golf carts more than ever

In many ways, children in America are safer than ever. But apparently, golf vehicles did not get the memo. A new research this week found that children’s golf injuries are high.

The researchers at the Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia conducted the study that analyzed injuries in the golf vehicle that sent children and youth to the emergency room. They found that these injuries have increased in recent years, with nearly half of children under the age of 12.

“The increasing trend for the use of a golf cart in residential areas, as well as increasing the frequency of children who drive and ride these vehicles,” said the author of the study. statement From the American Academy of Pediatrics. The results are presented during the weekend at the AAP National Conference.

Why and how children are hurt by golf carts

The researchers sprained through the national electronic surveillance system (NEISS), a database of injuries that were treated in the emergency departments of the hospital throughout the country. The data aims to be a representative at the national level, so scientists are often used to measure the number of Americans who shine due to specific products or specific causes of injury.

They examined the NEISS data between 2010 and 2023, focusing on injuries related to the golf vehicle between children and adult youth (aged 22 years or less). They have returned 1419 cases during that period – which reach an estimated 53,855 of these injuries at the country level during that period. On average, they estimated that about 3,800 injuries in a golf vehicle occurred annually, but they also found that these injuries have been constantly increased over the past three years.

The average age of the victim of the golf vehicle was 11, and 90 % of these harm were children. Nearly half of the injuries was caused by a person’s decrease in the cart, while 36 % included a collision or a cart. Children are often hurt along the head, face or neck, while half of all injuries are considered superficial.

It is worth noting that other research has Proposal The direction of the emerging golf car injuries is generally due to the early first decade of the twentieth century.

What to do

The authors say that their findings highlight “insufficient safety features and standard deficit.” However, if we set aside the possibility of launching a huge public campaign to bend children from the golf game, this also means that there is a lot that can be done to reduce these injuries.

Golf vehicles can be designed better to deal with sharp corners, for example, or to be less likely to decline in general. Politics and legislators can also issue laws and regulations to encourage better safety.

Some places have already started doing the latter. Only this year, South Carolina outlet A law requires children under the age of 12 to wear a seat belt when inside these vehicles on public roads. In 2023, Florida also Start To demand that teenagers have a permit or a license to drive a vehicle (previously, children who are not more than 14 years old can drive without any license at all).

The researchers also say that people should be more aware of the potential dangers of golf vehicles.

Ganley said: “The results that we have reached arriving in the urgent need to increase awareness and attention to these injuries between children and show the decisive role in education in the safe golf basket process.”