Typical Jet Ski Injuries

Jet skiers are more likely to get hurt than other boat operators because they are more exposed in an accident. Jet ski accident injuries can be extraordinarily severe.

• Head trauma

• Chest trauma

• Abdomen trauma

• Hypothermia

• Spinal cord damage

• Lacerations

• Disfigurement

• Carbon monoxide poisoning

• Paralysis

• Broken bones

• Soft tissue injury

• Burns

• Drowning

• Death

Research shows that:

• Jet ski accidents statistically cause a greater number of severe injuries than any other type of boat accident

• Inherent design defects in jet skis can lead to a higher risk of fire in post-accident situations

• Surgical treatment for personal watercraft accidents greatly exceeds that for other watercraft accidents.

Causes of jet ski accidents

• Unsafe operation of the jet ski

• Speeding

• Boating under the influence

• Collisions

Young people are hurt the most

Most jet ski injuries involve young people, especially teenagers. In 2002, 17- and 18-year-olds accounted for the highest rates of jet ski injuries. A review of literature and statistics completed by the Coalition of Parents and Families for Personal Watercraft Safety shows that 50% of all jet ski injuries involving children are moderate to severe.

It is a general rule of law that the operator of a jet ski has a duty to exercise the highest degree of care in order to prevent injuries and death to others. Common safety precautions include wearing protective clothing (like a life jacket), keeping distance from other watercraft, paying attention to “no wake” signs and boat traffic, and operating a jet ski defensively.



By: Patricia Woloch

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