Riding on a petrol go kart is a lot of fun, not many can disagree. Unfortunately, with a lot of fun, comes a lot of reckless behaviours that can put you at risk.
It’s all part of enjoying the speed and exhilarating turns that go karts provide, but you don’t have to end up with injuries. Here are a few tips that you need to go over before you get on the kart, every time.
First, you must make sure that there is a speed governor on the engine if young children are going to be driving. The excuse that they will go slow enough doesn’t cut it with your child’s safety. When young ones get nervous, they tend to lock up, and this can sometimes mean that they are smashing the gas pedal instead of the breaks. For this reason alone, make sure that you use a governor if your children are involved.
Next, ensuring that all drivers are wearing a proper sized helmet is essential. You’ll also want to check that they haven’t been in major accidents, or have sat in bright sun for a long time. Exposed sun will cause the fibreglass to begin dry rotting, which could lessen the helmets protection in the event of an accident.
The seat belts on your go kart are another area that you must inspect before anyone starts the engine. If the vehicle you’ll be using doesn’t have them on it, you might reconsider your choice of participating for the day. Accidents can happen at any time, and without a seat belt, you are at a much greater risk of injury should you end up involved in one. Look for frays in the seat belt cording, and check that they are properly mounted, as well as snug fitting around the driver.
Lastly, go over the braking system. Brakes are necessary to bring the kart to a stop, and with ill fitting or improperly maintained brakes, you are putting yourself at risk. Make sure that the discs have plenty of pad left, and that the brake cables are firm. Adjust any slack as necessary. Once the driver has been seated and buckled in, check that they can reach the pedals easily, and that they don’t have too much side to side movement.
As long as you go over this checklist each time you or your family gets onto the go kart, you will be able to relax, knowing that they are as safe as possible, while enjoying a sport they love.