RM OF HOODOO, Sask. — The RM of Hoodoo has passed a bylaw that will allow golf carts to operate on the roads within the municipality where the posted speed is not greater than 50 kph, which will come into effect upon approval from SGI. The bylaw identified as Bylaw 15, 2023 a bylaw of The Rural Municipality of Hoodoo No. 401 to permit the operation of golf carts on the public roadways within the limits of the municipality, stipulates that golf carts cannot be operated on provincial highways and drivers must hold a valid Class 7, or higher, driver’s licence.
The rules of the road as set out in The Traffic Safety Act, will apply to golf carts, the same as they do for any other vehicle on the road. Traffic violations such as speeding, stunting, impaired driving, etc., will apply to the driver’s licence and will therefore incur the same penalties as if the violation had occurred while driving any other vehicle. Owners of golf carts that will be used on public roadways are required under the bylaw to carry a minimum $200,000 third-party liability insurance.
This new bylaw comes as a result of the changes introduced by the provincial government in May of this year. Prior to the changes to SGI’s policy, golf carts were only permitted for transportation to and from the golf course if municipal bylaws allowed. Now municipalities have the option to create bylaws that will allow golf carts to be used for general transportation in low-speed limit areas as long as they conform to the regulations already established and set out in SGI policy. Those rules include displaying a slow-moving vehicle sign, operating only during daylight hours, being incapable of operating at a speed exceeding 24 kph on level ground, and having a weight limit of 590 kilograms not including the weight of riders and cargo. The bylaw passed by the RM of Hoodoo also clarifies that the term golf cart does not include all-terrain vehicles or low-speed vehicles as defined in The Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations. The Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations define a low-speed vehicle as different from a restricted-use vehicle like an ATV. Low-speed vehicles travel on four wheels, are powered by an electric power train, cannot reach speeds in excess of 40 kph in a distance of 1.6 km on a level paved surface, do not use fuel, and have a GVWR of less than 1361 kg.
The Government of Saskatchewan enacted the changes to The Traffic Safety Act in response to a resolution made at the annual Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association (SUMA) convention held in April. The resolution stated that many smaller communities and resort villages had “expressed support for ability-inclusive, cost-effective, safe, environmentally-aware transportation alternatives”. At the time of this writing, the RM of Hoodoo is the only local municipality that has acted on the changes enacted by the government.
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