Motorized Vehicles and Children

My son "drove" one of those battery-operated cars when he was very young. He graduated to a golf cart at age 6 and has never had an issue. He began using a riding lawnmower at age 11 or so. I'm not saying it's without danger but he was very good at driving all of these vehicles, like weirdly-good.

Check the rules for your city. Around here anyone on a motorized scooter, small motor bike, golf cart, etc on the city street ( neighborhood roads) will be ticketed. It's against the law. If they are underage ( no driver license), that's an added fine for driving with no license.

I would not allow my child to take anyone on a ride due to potential liability.

I know kids grow up driving 4 wheelers, tractors, etc but the ones I know do it on their own private property in a rural area.

Make sure you know the laws!

I remember when I was 17 years old, a 14 year old at our vacation resort was driving a golf cart. I sat with her because it seemed like so much fun. She almost drove us off of a cliff. She jumped the railroad tie at the parking place, hit and broke the wooden rail just beyond it, and somehow we didn't careen off the cliff. We were both really shaken up. Her dad got the cart moved back to the parking lot somehow, took her in their unit for a talk and I didn't see her again until the next day.

I could have died that day. Her parents would have been legally liable if I had gotten injured or killed.

I shudder to think that you would have a child ride a lawnmower. The things that could happen are so frightening.

If you let my kid loose with your kid to ride any of these, I'd be livid. What you do with your own child is one thing. What you do with some other person's kid is another.

Personally, never. I've lived in or near farming communities all my life and I've heard so many tragic stories and known families affected by those tragedies. Kids and teens killed, permanently injured. In some of those cases a parent was either with or on the machine with the child or teen when the accident happened. In at least one case I know of the young teen was doing absolutely nothing wrong when the accident occurred. His 4 wheeler slid on some mud as he was slowing to a stop. The machine tipped and pinned him against a tree. It was too heavy for him and the friend with him to lift it off of him. He was crushed to death. A friend of mine is a nurse in the pediatric ICU and has said motorized vehicles like atvs, golf carts, and even the motorized kids' toys are at the top of her list of things her girls will not get to do. She has seen horrible tragedies.

I would be furious if I found out that the parents of one of kids' friends let them ride on one of these without asking me ahead of time. It would be the last time my kids went to their home.

When they are mature enough to drive a car. This would be different ages based on the child able to make good choices and willing to learn how to be safe with it. I would hesitate to let my children use motorized vehicles as a toy. Their have been accidents resulting in serious injuries and death.

I would not let kids outside your family ride it unless the parent stays with you while they ride. Even then, i would have to know and trust the parent.. If anything happens you are responsible and can be sued.

Also, be sure to check the DMV rules regarding these vehicles on the street. I suggest they are not allowed.

Consult your state regulations about what's allowed. You may find your motor vehicle department's website very helpful. Also, it's a good idea to stop by your local police department and find out the laws, not just for vehicle operation but for helmets and whether they can take someone else with them. They'll let you know how often this sort of thing works out and how often it results in disaster. It also may depend (maybe not) on whether vehicles are operated on the road or on your property. Most vehicles like you listed are not considered road worthy.

Personally, I wouldn't want the liability of having my under-age kids take a friend on a vehicle or even have the kid use the vehicle under my supervision. Lawsuit waiting to happen, in my view, no matter what the parents said! You're certainly not going to have friends over to ride a lawnmower. You need to find out what off-road vehicles are permissible.

It really doesn't matter at all what kids do with the parents or grandparents. It matters what the laws are.

My kids help mow our lawn on our riding mower, they have friends who live on family property and those kids drive golf carts ON the property. We would never allow any other children to ride our lawn mower because it's not a toy.

Check the laws local to you. As others have said, too many people are sue happy today.

I would just go with whatever the law is in your state/city. Too many people nowadays willing to drop a lawsuit at any little accident or injury, not worth it in my opinion.

Probably when they could legally drive and only after we were sure they knew what they were doing, with proper instruction and supervision.

As for friends? I'd be really hesitant. Just because your child is mature enough and trained - doesn't mean their friends are.

We have a pool and rink and I've had parents say "Oh they can swim" when they can't. Or "They can skate" and show up without a helmet, and they can't. Not cool. I have rules. And i make parents stay until such a time as I'm comfortable and the parents give permission.

I'm not a hover-type parent, but I am responsible.

My kids haven't been around a golf cart so can't speak to that or a motorized scooter.

My husband grew up doing all this at super young age. And he has multiple scars and concussions. He rode dirt bikes, no helmets, etc. Even he is not comfortable with our kids doing this stuff without him - as he puts it, "I know how fearless kids can be". If he was with them, able to take over - yes. He let one of ours use a tractor (excavator) in our yard, with him THERE by the lever that stopped it. Just to try it for a few minutes. But on his own? No.

Depends on several factors. Tractor/lawnmower... no. It's not a toy. Shouldn't be going when kids are outside playing, and certainly not driven by kids under age 12 (most likely) and definitely not guests AT ALL. Motorized scooter? Hmm.. like the battery powered ones that go 15 mph? Depends on where they'd be riding, and if they were wearing helmets. If quiet, good visibility, little to no traffic in an enclosed community, and wearing helmets, again, probably around age 11 or 12. I wouldn't allow friends to ride at that age without parental approval. At older ages, 14-15... sure. They are or are on the verge of driving a CAR, so yes. I'd be ok, depending on the neighborhood.

A golf cart? Around the yard, without many hazards for flipping over? Age 10-12 sure. With friends? With parental approval under age 12. But I'd also limit the number of kids at one time.
On the highway? There are laws that dictate who is allowed to drive them on the street, or even IF they can be driven on the roadway legally. They have certain safety measures that must be met to be in compliance. Around here, you have to have a driver's license, assuming the cart meets the ordinances allowing it to be on the street.
--
ETA: When I say motorized scooter, I mean exactly that. A scooter that you stand or have a single seat post, with hand bars like a little razor scooter, only with accelerator and brakes. Powered by electricity, not gas. Not a minibike, or motorcycle of any type. Not a Vespa (?).

It depends on so many things. If there is enough room for them and they're not standing in an unsafe place, if the blades are down on the mower, if the scooter isn't going fast, how old the driver is, if the parents know beforehand exactly what is planned, and more.

If my girl was going to a friends house and they were going to ride 4 wheelers I'd say no. Not unless I was there or had been there to see what sort of supervision the kids would have. If the kids were going to ride them and not wear helmets then I would never let her do that. If I knew the parents made their kids wear helmets and they kept the things where they were only in the lowest gear and couldn't go fast then I might let her ride without me being there.

When I was a nanny I would bring the kids out to the farm we would take them on the tractor all the time. We had a wagon sort of thing we could pull behind it too. We NEVER had the mower blades down when they were anywhere near. But they did enjoy riding all over the property in the wagon.

Golf carts go pretty slow don't they? I would think if a parent was driving and the kids were sitting down then that would be safe too.

It really depends on what the parents expect and what is planned as the activity.

No to any sort of scooter that is 2 or 3 wheels.

Our girl has been driving the pickup and van around the farm since she was about 10. She isn't allowed to drive it by herself but if we have our hands full or really dirty then we let her drive us where we need to go, like the other house or the barn. She is pretty good. When it comes time for her to take her driving test she'll pass just fine.

my dh will sit and help our children drive any moterized vehicle. he would never do this without the permission of another childs parent, i doubt he would even do it then. i will someday allow my child to drive a moterized vehicle when he is responsible enough to do so without being dangerous about it.

That would depend on the kid and his/her level of maturity. My dad taught my daughter to drive his riding mower and her dad taught her to drive his tractor when she was in elementary school, but she was not allowed to do so unsupervised.
She rode dirt bikes and shot skeet with a friend in middle school, with my permission.
Never would I allow a kid to drive or ride along on anything motorized without clearing it with the parents first.

We have 4 wheelers and snowmobiles, and we are very, very careful about who rides them! Our 10 year old has driven (solo) a little prior to this summer and is allowed to as long as my husband is there. Our 7 year old is just now starting to. Even though our nieces and nephew have been allowed to drive, I do not allow it unless my husband is there to supervise. I can drive, but I am not qualified to supervise.

We NEVER allow minor non family members to ride solo, and we will only give them rides with their parent's permission. We also have spoken with our insurance agent and have an umbrella policy just in case.

If you are talking about things that drive like a golf cart, you are talking about motors that are not as powerful as a 4 wheeler, but they are still quite powerful and need to be taken very seriously.