Golf cart rules of the road: How to stay safe and be legal on Grand Strand streets

Hannah Huffstickler
·2 min read
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MYRTLE BEACH S.C. (WBTW) – Summer is right around the corner and if you have a golf cart or are on the hunt for one there are some rules you need to know.

Justin Nelson, owner of Gone Coast Carts in North Myrtle Beach, says it’s not always safe to operate them on certain roads or in specific areas because the vehicles may lack basic features including seat belts and turn signals.

Nelson explains why it is not safe to drive a regular golf cart and some of the North Myrtle beach road rules.

“The law of South Carolina is, daylight to dark, and just like in North Myrtle Beach, they have a city ordinance that does not allow a regular golf cart to drive (after 8 p.m.),” Nelson said.

In North Myrtle Beach, it’s also illegal to drive golf carts on Ocean Boulevard and Sea Mountain Highway.

Anybody operating a golf cart must be at least 16 years old and have a valid driver’s license. There are also time limitations about when they can be in use.

Myrtle Beach Police Patrolman First Class Vincent Padavano said golf carts are allowed on secondary roads within the city including Mr. Joe White Ave., 21st Ave N. and 3rd Ave. S.

Padavano said anybody planning to use a golf cart on public roads should be familiar with all the rules and regulations.

“It’s important, because a lot of people come to Myrtle Beach as tourists, and they’re maybe from areas that they don’t use a lot of golf carts, and they are just not familiar with any of the rules or laws that we have, ordinances that we have,” he said.

“A lot of people also think golf carts are more of like a, something fun to rent, or like a toy. They don’t understand that the same laws apply to using a golf cart as a vehicle,” Padavano said.

Because golf carts are smaller and lighter than most other vehicles, they can be harder to see at night.

Overcrowding can also be a danger. Padavano said there shouldn’t be more than one person to a seat.

Police hold golf carts to the same laws as other vehicles on public roads, meaning driving under the influence or doing so recklessly can lead to arrests.

“I think that the main thing is no open containers, you can still be charged with a DUI just like any other vehicle, and driving on sidewalks, medians, and bike lanes, those are probably the most common issues we have,” Padavano said.

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Hannah Huffstickler is a multimedia journalist at News13. She joined the News13 team in January 2024 after graduating from Coastal Carolina University in December of 2023. Keep up with Hannah on Facebook and Instagram. You can also read more of her work here.

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