FRANKLIN, Tenn. -
In the wake of the tragedy that claimed the life of a teenage boy and injured three others, Franklin police are cracking down on golf carts on the roadway.
Brandon Roach was among those who were seriously injured in the fatal crash that claimed the life of 15-year-old Ryan Tropauer on May 18.
The teens were traveling down a hill in a golf cart when the vehicle's right tire blew, causing the driver to lose control.
The golf cart slammed into a brick encased mailbox before overturning and ejecting three of the teens.
Since the crash, Franklin police have been aggressively enforcing golf cart violations.
In the past two weeks, the department has cited 12 people for violations.
While some Williamson County residents believe the newly enforced law is overkill, others like Paul Balciar, who owns a street legal, state registered vehicle favors the aggressive enforcement.
"People driving without seatbelts, going through stops signs, driving at night with no lights on, it's an accident waiting to happen," he said. "I'll see carts with six or seven kids on them. I also saw a little child fall off one of them one time."
Balciar said he hopes police continue to enforce the law which states all golf carts on city streets are illegal.
"There are a lot of people in here who should not be driving golf carts." he said. "At first we tried to get the police in here a long time ago and they wouldn't come in here. People say they bought into this development told they could drive golf carts, well, they think cause they are here they can break the law, it's a state road, it's a city road, there are laws and they have to abide by."
Officers added they also plan to aggressively inspect people driving low speed vehicles which must be licensed and equipped with headlamps, front and rear turn signals, tail lamps, stop lamps, red reflectors on both side and rear, mirrors and a windshield that conforms to specifications.
Drivers must also be licensed and driving on streets where the speed limit is 35 miles-per-hour or less.
Read more online at FranklinTN.gov.
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