VIDEO: Trading gas guzzlers for street-legal golf carts

Some Florida residents are turning to golf carts instead of their gas guzzling vehicles in order to save money.

Teresa Opsahl’s answer to saving gas money sits in her garage next to her gas-guzzling SUV.

These days she’d rather drive her red, four-seated golf cart for a trip to the grocery store.

The machine is street legal, right down to the license plate, seat belts, windshield and headlights.

Other state requirements include rear-view mirrors, horn and special brakes.

The weight also cannot exceed 2,499 pounds.

“It was for fuel prices because it was skyrocketing, and we’re close to town,“ said Opsahl, a salon owner in Punta Gorda. “It goes 15 miles on a charge, and we plug it in when we get home after every use.“

Several manufacturers are now selling the street legal models, starting at about $6,000.

Vinny Adams, the sales manager at Gulf Carts of Port Charlotte, said he’ll be getting his first road-ready carts sometime this week.

“We’re getting a lot of inquiries,“ he said. “A regular golf cart is not street legal on any street. They have to conform to the new state regulations.“

These street-legal carts are listed in the state’s Department of Highway and Motor Vehicles’ “converted golf cart/low speed vehicle” category.

State law requires the carts not to exceed 25 MPH.

“I just enjoy it because I have a lot of stares,“ Opsahl said with a laugh. “A lot of people stare at me.“