Chief of Police David Leonard wants to remind the citizens of the Town of Berwick’s ordinance concerning the operation of golf carts upon public roadways. The police department has been receiving numerous complaints of golf carts being operated in dangerous manners as well as being operated by underaged, unlicensed drivers. The ordinance states that a licensed driver can operate a golf cart upon the streets of Berwick; however, the following streets are expressly prohibited: Thorguson Drive, Robinson Road, Bowman Street, Utah Street, Sandra Street, and any highway within the Town of Berwick. Furthermore, the ordinance states that no person shall operate a golf cart without a driver’s license, and no parent shall allow or permit and unlicensed minor under the age of 16 to operate a golf cart upon the public roadways.
Any parent who permits or allows an unlicensed minor to operate a golf cart upon a public road, shall be in solido liable with the unlicensed minor liable for damages caused by the negligence of the minor operating the golf cart. An unlicensed driver who operates a golf cart upon a public road may be subject to the following fines: $126.00 for the first offense; $226.00 for the second offense; and $326.00 for the third offense. Any parent who allows an unlicensed minor to operate a golf cart may also be subject to receiving a citation for Allowing an Unlicensed Minor to Drive, which has the same fine amounts for each offense previously mentioned. The police department has been receiving complaints of young children driving golf carts, individuals driving carelessly, individuals disobeying traffic laws (i.e. driving on the correct side of the road, running stop signs, etc.), and overloaded golf carts with young kids hanging off the sides and back. In an effort to keep ensure the public’s safety, officers will be keeping watch for these violations during their regular patrols and any violators caught will be issued a citation.
To learn more, or to read the full ordinance, please go online and visit townofberwick.org and view ordinance T/O 17-16.