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Go Kart Accident Statistics
Learn About Go-Kart Accident Statistics With Nationally Recognized Lawyers
Go-Kart accident statistics reveal the serious risk of injury, especially for young adults and teenagers. According to a ten-year study by the Consumer Protection Agency, go-karting causes approximately 10,500 injuries yearly. Sadly, 175 people died in 2023 while riding recreational off-highway vehicles (ROVs) like go-karts.
If you or a loved one suffered go-kart-related injuries caused by someone else, you could seek financial compensation through a personal injury claim.
The Chicago go-kart accident attorneys at Rosenfeld Injury Law could help you pursue damages against negligent parties and ensure they are held liable for their actions. Contact us today for a free consultation about your legal rights.
How Do Go-Karting Injuries Occur?
Go-karts are relatively safe when drivers use proper safety equipment and follow racing rules. However, they still carry certain risks like any other sport. According to historical data, most go-kart-related injuries stem from the following.
Inexperience
Go-kart racing requires specific skills, including but not limited to good hand-eye coordination, balance, spatial awareness, and risk assessment. Go-kart drivers should also know how to accelerate and decelerate properly, turn safely, and navigate around other drivers. Drivers with poor skills and experience are more likely to get into a go-kart accident, especially when driving beyond their ability.
Human Errors
Distracted driving, miscalculations, and delayed response time can increase the risk of an accident. Human error is the most common direct cause of go-kart accidents.
Unsafe Go-Kart Tracks
Environmental hazards may cause drivers to lose control, collide with barriers, or crash into other karts. These hazards include oil spills, lack of collapsible barriers, and uneven pavements. In one instance in Naperville, a boy became entrapped between the rubber guard rail and the go-kart, requiring the fire department to free him.
Bad Weather Conditions
Ice, rain, snow, and sleet can make tracks slippery and cause go-karts to crash into another vehicle or a stationary object.
Poor maintenance
Failure to properly maintain equipment can cause go-karts to fail and cause accidents.
Lack of Proper Safety Equipment
Go-karters must wear helmets, gloves, suits, neck braces, rib protectors, and other safety equipment to reduce the risk of injury in case of an accident.
Improperly Secured Hair
Loose hair can get tangled in the go-kart and cause the driver to lose control. In the worst cases, it can lead to scalping.
Common Go-Kart-Related Injuries
Most injuries in go-kart accidents are not severe, but some can be potentially life-threatening and require a trip to the emergency department.
Common injuries sustained in go-karting include:
A go-kart collision can violently force the driver’s neck to bend forward and backward. This sudden movement can cause injury to the muscles, discs, tendons, and nerves in the neck. While most whiplash injuries don’t cause long-term effects, they can cause significant pain for days or weeks.
Bone breaks are common in severe go-kart injuries, typically in incidents where the driver’s body slams into something hard or is ejected from the vehicle.
Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs)
Go-kart helmets are essential in preventing traumatic head injuries, such as concussions and brain bleeds. A brain injury occurs when a sudden jolt to the head causes the brain to bounce around the skull, damaging the tissue and surrounding membranes.
Bruising
Bruises are common go-kart injuries, even when no accident occurs. Go-karts can cause bruising due to the constant and sudden jerks while racing. However, severe bruising may require medical intervention.
Abdominal and Thoracic Injuries
Abdominal trauma can crush tissue and damage organs near the chest and abdomen, such as the spleen and liver. These injuries usually occur when a driver’s body gets crushed against the steering wheel. In one case study, a person suffered a duodenal rupture, which required surgery.
Go-kart drivers can sustain burns from overheated engines, engine malfunctions, or oil and fuel leakages. Poorly-maintained go-karts are also more likely to cause burns.
Sprains and Strains
Sprains and strains, which occur when tendons, muscles, or ligaments are overstretched, torn, or sustained trauma from a fall or bump, are typical injuries in minor go-karting accidents.
Abrasions
Go-kart racers can suffer abrasions when they directly contact the track’s surface, rubbing their skin against the concrete.
Go-Kart Accident Statistics
The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) studied go-kart safety, using reports gathered over 10 years. This study found that over 10,000 people went to the emergency room every year for injuries derived from go-karting. Around 65% of people injured by go-karts were under 15 years old.
Injury Patterns
A study published in the Open Orthopaedics Journal studied 600 go-kart injuries between 2001 and 2006. The following injury patterns were reported:
- Trunk and spine injuries: 230 (39%)
- Hip, leg, and foot injuries: 150 (26%)
- Shoulder, hand, and arm injuries: 130 (22%)
- Head and neck injuries: 70 (12%)
- Other associated injuries: 20 (3%)
One study revealed that most injuries occurred to children between 8 and 14 years old because they have less experience driving and slower reaction times than adults.
A 2005 study at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center showed that:
- Most injured children required emergency care and had to stay four to six days in the hospital due to go-kart injuries.
- Around 50% of these children required an operation; several needed more than one operation.
- Due to a lack of regulation, children with private go-karts are more likely to have accidents than those at public courses.
In 2010, researchers at the University of Ramon Llull in Spain studied the injury mechanisms suffered by 600 go-karting practitioners between the ages of 7 and 15. They found that the majority of injuries (42.1%) were to the hand and wrist, with another significant percentage to the thorax and elbow.
Another study published in the Open Orthopaedics Journal revealed three main trauma mechanisms in go-kart accidents:
- Direct trauma: fractures, contusions, abrasions, burns, lacerations;
- High energetic trauma (HET) deceleration: blunt abdominal or thoracic trauma, compression injury to lower limbs;
- Acceleration and deceleration: flexion or extension injuries.
Injury Locations
A 2002 study in Hong Kong showed that go-kart injuries were more severe on outdoor tracks than indoor ones.
Indoor tracks prioritize safety more than outdoor ones and are designed to make driving as safe and easy as possible. On the other hand, outdoor circuits are more prone to environmental hazards and poor weather conditions.
Go-Kart Deaths
The recent death of a Belleville, IL, teenager after go-karting underscores that this can be a dangerous activity, even with the best safety precautions.
In May 2024, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission released a report on deaths and injuries in non-highway vehicles, including go-karts. Specifically, go-karts fall under recreational off-highway vehicles (ROVs) as they have a steering wheel, rollover protection, seat belts, and bucket seats. Between 2018 and 2020, the last year for which there is complete data, there were 635 deaths associated with ROVs.
These statistics prove that injury rates are increasing, likely due to the growing popularity of this activity.
Between 2003 and 2012, there were only 331 deaths associated with ROVs. In other words, there were almost twice as many deaths in the three years between 2018 and 2020 as there were in the 9 years between 2003 and 2012.
The Consumer Federation of America performed a separate study on ROV deaths in 2023, which found 175 fatalities. Seven people died in Illinois due to ROV accidents during that time.
Who Is Liable For Go-Kart Injuries?
In Illinois, go-kart tracks fall under the Amusement Ride and Attraction Safety Act (Ill. Admin. Code tit. 56, § 6000.302). This act requires proper safety measures like seatbelts, rollover protection, and barriers around the track. Chicago also requires that go-kart tracks not serve alcohol or allow alcohol around amusement rides (§4-75-100).
However, following the law does not necessarily mean that someone isn’t liable for injuries when go-karts are involved. Potentially liable parties include the following.
- Go-Kart Racers: A go-kart driver may be liable for injuries if their negligence (e.g., distracted, reckless, intoxicated driving, etc.) causes an accident and injures other racers.
- Race Marshals: Marshals could be held responsible for failing to prevent accidents within reasonable expectations.
- Track Management Companies: Indoor and outdoor circuits require proper maintenance to avoid potential dangers. Failure to maintain a track and inadvertently causing an accident may lead to premises liability. If the go-kart course is under city management, then it is possible to sue the municipality, similar to the case of Torres v. Peoria Park District. In that case, the man was hurt while on city property.
- Go-Kart Owners and Maintenance Professionals: Rental companies must ensure their go-karts operate well before renting them out. Otherwise, they could be liable for go-kart injuries if a mechanical failure caused the accident.
Is Go-Karting Dangerous?
Go-kart racing can be a relatively safe activity when riders follow the rules and visit a professional racing center, like K1 Speed or Autobahn Country Club. However, there is still the risk of injury or even death if riders aren’t careful or choose to ignore safety rules.
How To Ride Go-Karts Safely
Every go-kart driver should be proactive in avoiding safety risks. Firstly, go-karts are off-highway vehicles and should never be driven on the road; this is illegal in the city of Chicago unless at a registered special event (§9-12-110).
Sticking to dedicated go-kart routes with trained attendants can significantly reduce the risk of death. In one instance, a 14-year-old boy in Morrisonville, IL, died when his go-kart collided with an SUV while he was riding along County Highway 10.
These preventative measures can help you race safely as a beginner:
- Do your research. Read the go-kart racing rules and guidelines and familiarize yourself with safety flags.
- Maintain your go-kart. If you own a go-kart, create a regular maintenance schedule. It also helps to invest in high-quality safety harnesses and hand guards explicitly designed for go-karts.
- Keep your hands on the wheel. Always keep your hands on the steering wheel, especially at higher speeds when you are at an elevated risk of losing con
- Start with indoor circuits. An indoor track is usually safer and easier to drive. As you increase your skills, you can progress to outdoor go-kart tracks.
- Always wear your safety belt. Seat belts help prevent severe injuries in go-kart racing accidents, so never drive without one.
- Wear full safety gear. In addition to a seat belt, you also need roll bars (to prevent rollovers), a helmet, a suit, gloves, karting shoes, a rib protector, and a neck brace.
- Get proper training. Learn how to drive correctly before racing other people. Practice with a more experienced driver or take a formal course.
Expert Legal Counsel Near You!
Go-karts are not particularly dangerous compared to other motorsport vehicles, but they still pose some risks, especially to children. Furthermore, go-kart-related injuries can cause significant losses, both physical and financial.
You could be entitled to financial compensation if you or a loved one were injured in a go-kart accident. Our go-kart accident attorneys can help you determine who is responsible for your damages and file a personal injury claim against them.
For a free consultation, contact our law firm at (888) 424-5757 or through our contact form. All confidential or sensitive information you share with our legal team will remain private. Our lawyers handle all accepted cases on a contingency fee basis. You don’t have to pay our legal fees unless we win your case.
All content undergoes thorough legal review by experienced attorneys, including Jonathan Rosenfeld. With 25 years of experience in personal injury law and over 100 years of combined legal expertise within our team, we ensure that every article is legally accurate, compliant, and reflects current legal standards.