Florida Girl Paralyzed in Golf Cart Accident

A teenage girl in Florida found her life changed in April after becoming the victim of a terrible golf cart accident. While the story is not a local one, it does serve as a reminder that golf carts need to be taken seriously. While these small vehicles are looked at as a means of easy transportation, they are rarely looked upon as being as dangerous as cars and trucks. If you ask Lexy Eukitis, 17, that is exactly how they should be looked at.

This past April, Eukitis was along for the ride as her boyfriend tested a golf cart on the streets of his neighborhood. The throttle became stuck, ultimately causing the golf cart to crash. Eukitis was thrown from the cart and suffered a spine injury. The accident left the teen paralyzed from the waist down.

Eukitis is determined to walk again, and she has showed signs that muscle activity may be returning to her legs. For now, however, she uses a wheelchair. “I’m going to walk again, so I’m not taking no for an answer,” said the teen. “This can happen to you. It could happen to anybody.”

Along with the mother of her boyfriend, Eukitis wants to reach out to others and get them to understand that golf carts can be as dangerous as traditional motorized vehicles. “They are not as benign as people think they are,” said Leslie Morrison, the boyfriend’s mother.

Technology Associates, a research company that is on the leading edge of golf cart safety, says that there are 150,000 golf cart accidents each year. These accidents end with someone visiting the emergency room. Why? In part, the open-air design of the carts and what could be called poor braking capability.

As golf carts become more popular in major hubs around North Carolina, people are urged to consider that what they are operating or riding in should be considered motor vehicles. The same respect that one would show to a gas-powered, traditional vehicle should be shown to one of these carts. That means safe operations and zero horseplay.

If you have been injured in a golf cart accident, we are here for you. Our attorneys will work closely with you and your family and fight to get you the compensation you may be entitled to. Call us today for a free initial consultation. We want to help you. Call now.