SOUTH PADRE ISLAND - The South Padre Island Police Chief, Randy Smith, said they are seeing more accidents involving the popular golf carts that can be seen around the island.

He said they have been enforcing the laws heavily in the last few weeks due to an increase in golf cart accidents, including one last night that sent two people to the hospital.

"We've been stopping a lot of golf carts and writing tickets, or educating people on the age of people, which lanes they have to be in," said Chief Smith.

Standing up, not using the seatbelts, or putting too many people are just some of the violations they see.

The police chief said they have even had people drive the golf carts over the causeway. He said they have been working with the golf cart rental companies to educate them. If a golf cart is pulled over with multiple violations, police call the company to step in.

"We automatically call the golf cart company and make them come pick it up, then those people forfeit their deposit and lose out on the rest of the time," said Chief Smith.

Colleen Beumel has lived on the island for nearly five years. She said it's become a nuisance.

"They play the music. They go fast. They go too slow. They do everything but what they're supposed to be doing," said Beumel.

Beumel said she wants them to pay attention.

"It's going to slow down because traffic slows down on the island, but it's going to continue to be an issue," said Beumel.

Smith said they expect it to slow down after summer.