Councillors on Pelee Island have approved a new pilot project so residents and tourists can drive golf carts on island roads.
The pilot project is a lot longer than most. It is for ten years. The Ministry of Transportation announced it. Monday, councillors signed off on the regulations under the Highway Traffic Act.
It should enhance the experience of the thousands of tourists who visit the island every year.
However, the Ontario Provincial Police remind users there are rules. The driver must have a valid Ontario driver's license. The golf carts are only allowed on the island, and drivers can not tow other vehicles, carry combustible fuel except in the fuel tank, or carry passengers under eight.
Other rules for golf cart drivers include:
* Only driving them on roads with a maximum speed limit of 50 km/h
* Carts must not be capable of going faster than 32 km/h on a level surface
* Must have a slow-moving sign on the rear of the golf cart
* Must be driven in the right-most lane
* Can not be driven between one-half hour after sunset or one-half hour before sunrise (no night-time driving)
* Can not be driven during December, January, February and March
"The Ontario Provincial Police requests that citizens comply with all operating requirements under this new Pilot Project," said Essex County OPP Inspector Glenn Miller. "Enforcement will be applied to those not in compliance."