Vehicles: other; operation of golf carts on streets and county roads in certain municipalities; allow. Amends sec. 657a of 1949 PA 300 (MCL 257.657a).
What changed between versions
The population threshold for villages, cities, and townships to authorize golf cart operation on their streets was raised from fewer than 30,000 to fewer than 65,000 residents, roughly doubling the number of communities eligible to allow golf carts.
New subsection (19) exempts police officers performing official duties from this section's requirements.
The census reference was updated from the '2010 federal decennial census' to the 'most recent federal decennial census,' ensuring the threshold applies to current population data rather than a fixed year.
New subsection (12) allows local ordinances to require golf cart operators to use a designated path adjacent to a highway or street when one is provided.
New subsection (13) prohibits passing between lines of traffic but allows passing on the left in a 2-way street or on either side in a 1-way street, in an unoccupied lane.
New subsection (14) prohibits operating a golf cart on a sidewalk constructed for pedestrian use.
New subsection (15) sets a maximum speed of 15 mph, prohibits operation on state trunk line highways or roads with speed limits over 30 mph (except to cross them), and allows local units to designate specific roads for golf cart use.
New subsection (16) prohibits operating golf carts from half an hour before sunset to half an hour after sunrise on state trunk line highways or local streets.
New subsection (17) explicitly states that operators and passengers are not required to wear a crash helmet.
New subsection (18) requires golf cart operators on state trunk line highways to ride as near to the right side of the roadway as practicable.
New subsection (20) exempts golf carts operated under this section from registration requirements under section 3101 of the insurance code of 1956.
New subsection (21) defines 'golf cart' as a vehicle designed for transportation while playing golf and allows local units to require registered golf carts to meet any or all of specified low-speed vehicle safety requirements including headlamps, tail lamps, stop lamps, reflectors, mirrors, brakes, horn, windshield, VIN, safety belts, and crash helmets.
A new sentence was added to subsection (11) clarifying that the state transportation department is not required to develop an alternate route plan when temporarily closing a state trunk line highway to golf carts.
