Article Written July 15, 2023 5:36pm ET

Does Go Karting Kill People?

YES. Go karting kills people, way more often than you would expect and for unexpected reasons. About 20-30 people die of go karting each year in the US, according to this statistic. In this article, we will discuss true stories of people who died while karting.  Additionally, we will go over unexpected ways to help ensure safety for when you take your next ride. Find the USA government report here.

Go Kart Death From Choking, 2022

In 2022, a schoolgirl in London died at a school go karting event. While racing, her hijab got caught in another car, and she was strangled severely. This story is important because it reminds us that not all go karting incidents are caused be "crashes".  Here is an example in which an external factor caused a death.   You can find more about this story here.

Go Kart Death From Speed, 2021

Yes, speed is an obvious one. But 70mph is a lot more than the 30-40mph our go karts go. In 2021, a man named John Wrigley died on his super-kart at a track when it veered off the track exiting a chicane, hitting a wall, sending the driver up 20 feet. So next time you want to push the apex to its limits, consider your speed. If you make your own go kart, such as the one I made, you can be given piece of mind that you safer than these super-karts, as 15mph isn't fatal. If you are interested in building your own go kart, check out ours.  To recap, 20-30 mph, especially in a track setting, tends to be safe, but that speed in a town is more dangerous as solid objects are closer to you, and you need to face other traffic than just other karts. So also factor in environment.

Ways To Stay Safe

As shown with the statistics, karting is dangerous. But by looking at the fatal incidents, you can take precautions to stay safer. Firstly, understand that crashing isn't necessarily the cause of all injuries. Understand that outside factors, such as what you are wearing, may come into play, and keep those factors in mind. Secondly, watch the speed. Especially when not in a track setting, take into account the worst case scenario before taking a risk. Lastly, take into account the environment, and how 20mph in the city is probably more dangerous than 40mph on a track. Stay safe.

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