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Struthers council discusses making golf carts street‑legal, inspection checklist and safety requirements
Summary
Councilors and staff reviewed a proposed policy to allow low‑speed vehicles and golf carts on certain streets, discussed an Ohio Department of Public Safety inspection form, and raised safety items including seat belts, licensed drivers and speed limits.
Councilors debated whether to move forward with local rules to allow golf carts and other low‑speed vehicles on designated streets in Struthers, and reviewed an inspection checklist provided by Chief Roddy and the Ohio Department of Public Safety.
Council members said residents already operate carts in town and expressed support for adopting a local ordinance or resolution that would mirror templates used by other Ohio cities and follow state guidance. Officials discussed minimum equipment and safety standards: road‑readiness features such as turn signals and brake lights, a 25‑miles‑per‑hour limit for streets where carts would be allowed, seat‑belt requirements, and the need for a driver’s license for operators. Chief Roddy provided an inspection form based on the Ohio Department of Public Safety guidance and the council suggested publishing an approved checklist in the city newsletter so owners know appointment and inspection steps.
Members raised enforcement and safety concerns: whether carts may travel on state routes governed by state authorities, how to handle heavier truck routes, and the risk of unlicensed drivers or children riding in carts. Councilors discussed adding seat‑belt requirements to the local checklist even though they said state guidance did not mandate seat belts in all cases. They also noted differing equipment levels among retail golf carts and the potential need to require certain modifications to reach a “street‑legal” standard.
No formal ordinance was introduced or voted on in the recorded portion of the meeting; council members directed staff to collect model language from other municipalities and to have Chief Roddy and staff refine the inspection checklist and publication plan for the newsletter.
