The Maryville Daily Times has an editorial today [1] warning about the dangers of golf carts on local streets. We're not sure why this is a concern all of a sudden. It may be related to a new Tennessee law that went into effect July 1st which allows "neighborhood electric vehicles" on public streets. These are not golf carts.

Here's some background on the new law from The Tennessean [2]

...medium-speed electric- or gasoline-powered vehicles with four wheels can travel up to 35 mph, and can use roads where the speed limit is 40. Golf carts are excluded.

Tennessee joins Montana and Washington as the only states with such a law. Most of the rest follow a 1998 federal law that allows the low-speed vehicles to travel up to 25 mph.

The article also says the vehicles "must meet federal safety standards that require headlights and taillights, turn signals, seat belts, a rearview mirror, a parking brake and a windshield."