Are Golf Carts Safe On Michigan Roads? Find Out Now

Golf carts might be an easy and fun way to zip around your property or campground, but in Michigan, taking them onto the roadway can be a serious safety hazard if they don't have the required upgrades.

Under Michigan's Vehicle Code (Act 300 of 1949, Section 257.657a), villages, cities, or townships with fewer than 30,000 residents can choose to allow golf carts on their streets—but just because your town says it's okay doesn't mean you should hit the road without making some serious upgrades (if you haven't already).

Golf Carts Need Safety Upgrades Before Being Street Legal in Michigan

It's all about safety, not ruining your weekend transportation plans. Without the legally mandated upgrades, your golf cart, the driver, the passengers, and everyone on the road are in danger.

Why? Golf carts were designed to navigate flat(ish), grassy fairways—not to handle the chaos of Michigan intersections, drivers, and traffic. Would you want to be stuck behind a golf cart at a Michigan left? In their stock form, they lack the basic safety equipment required of street-legal "low-speed vehicles."

State Legal May Not Mean Township Legal

While the State of Michigan has established requirements for making a golf cart legally able to operate on roads, that doesn't mean the township or city you live in agrees.

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Michigan's golf cart laws are very clear, according to Michigan Auto Law: "...villages, cities, or townships with fewer than 30,000 residents can choose to allow golf carts on their streets." Some municipalities have outright banned golf carts, so check your local listings before heading out on the pavement.