A crash in Chicahauk Saturday morning involving an unlicensed minor driving a rented four-seat low-speed vehicle (LSV) with four passengers aboard resulted in minor injuries to three of the individuals and a criminal citation of the driver’s father for allowing him to operate a motor vehicle on a highway, according to a news release issued today by the Southern Shores Police Dept.
The single-vehicle crash occurred at 10:54 a.m. Saturday (June 27) at the intersection of Trinitie Trail and Chicahauk Trail, according to police, who said that alcohol was not believed to be a factor.
Police said the minor driver missed a turn at the intersection and then over-corrected his steering in an attempt to make the turn, which caused the LSV to flip over and eject one of the rear passengers, causing an injury. Another passenger and the driver also suffered minor injuries, police said.
One of the injured parties was transported to the Outer Banks Hospital by Dare County EMS, according to police, while the other two left the accident in their parents/guardians’ custody.
Police charged the driver’s father, Kevin Titherington, 53, of Woodbine, Md., with permitting an unlicensed minor—a person under the age of 18—to operate a motor vehicle upon a highway in violation of N.C. General Statutes (NCGS) sec. 20-32.
What is an LSV?
North Carolina defines a low-speed vehicle as a four-wheeled electric or gas-powered vehicle with a top speed between 20 and 25 mph that complies with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. An LSV has a 17-digit vehicle identification number (VIN) and must be titled, registered, and insured like any other motor vehicle in the state.
State law specifies the required equipment that all LSVs must have in “proper working order,” including headlamps, parking brakes, rearview mirrors, windshield wipers, speedometer, seat belts, etc. (See NCGS sec. 20-121.1.)
The law also mandates that LSVs be driven only on North Carolina roads with speed limits of 35 mph or less, and that all operators hold valid driver’s licenses. (Sec. 20-121.1)
Distinguishing Golf Carts
Many people refer to low-speed vehicles as golf carts, but they are not the same.
A golf cart is not a motor vehicle under federal law. It has no VIN, no state registration, and no N.C. DMV title. Golf carts are manufactured and designed to be driven on golf courses and have a top speed of 20 mph.
According to our research, North Carolina does not allow golf carts on public roads by default. Golf carts cannot legally travel on streets and highways unless a municipality enacts an ordinance authorizing their use of the roads. The Town of Southern Shores has not passed such an ordinance.
Bottom line: Standard golf carts are not street-legal in Southern Shores.
By Ann G. Sjoerdsma, The Southern Shores Beacon, 6/29/26
The Southern Shores Beacon 