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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