The Westville Village Board has approved changes to rules governing the operation of golf carts on city streets. But the board rejected a recommendation to require seat belts and a flashing light on golf carts. Westville Police Sergeant Justin Varvel argued the seat belts would particularly protect kids riding on the back of golf carts…
“We’ve seen it before where kids have fallen off the back. We’ve seen it before where there’s been close calls with kids falling off the back,” said Varvel. “So we think that at least give them the opportunity – put the seat belts on – try to keep them on there. So that if something does happen they’re not instantly falling off the golf carts. We’re just going to have to work with what we’ve got, though.”
Westville Village Trustee Gary Delhaye expressed concerns about some of the changes that were being proposed.
“I got concerns from a lot of the people in the public – about the cost it was going to take to install the flashing lights and the seat belts. It was a cost that out-weighed my opinion of the ordinance,” said Delhaye during an interview with VermilionCountyFirst.com.
Some changes that were approved include a requirement that owners of golf carts being operated on Westville streets much obtain a sticker that will be issued by the police department. (The stickers will be 3-inches tall and 1-inch wide to help identify the owner if there is a complaint.) There will also be more locations where golf carts are allowed to cross Illinois route one. Sergeant Varvel hopes the operators will make sure their golf cart is easily visible from all sides in the dark.
A large crowd of citizens attended a special Westville Village Board meeting last night (Wednesday) where golf cart rules and an unexpected jump in natural gas costs took center stage.
