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Editor: Rod Sullivan
Profession: Maritime Attorney

Category: Boating Accidents

Jet skis make up about 10% of the watercraft registered in the State of Florida but make up about 40% of the accidents according to Florida Wildlife Commission Officer Terry Noll. Some of the more common accidents are spinal injuries which occure when people will jump over a wake in shallow water and come down wrong, striking the bottom. Other injuries include broken fingers, hands, or legs which occur when someone sticks a limb out, trying to stop two PWC's from striking one another.

Jet skis can do 60 mph without modification and they can be "tweaked" to do 70 to 80 mph.

Here are some of the laws already regulating jet ski operation in the State of Florida:

-Operators must be at least 14 years of age.

-Anyone 21 and under must take and pass a boating safety course to operate a jet ski (or any powerboat with over 10 HP on it).

-Playing "chicken" (e.g. two jet skis run at one another and then turn to spray water on each other) constitutes reckless operations. Under Florida Statue 327.39 it is a first-degree misdemeanor punishable by a $1,000 fine and a year in jail.

-PWC's are required to have a horn or whistle, a fire extinguisher and a safety lanyard attached from the operator to the vessel's kill switch.

-One personal flotation device (PFD) is required for each person on board.