How Common Are Jet Ski Accidents
- Posted by:
- Admin
- Tags:
- Jet Skis, Accidents, Watercraft Accidents
- Posted date:
- 17-05-2022
Have you questioned how common Jet Ski Accidents are? We look at watercraft accident statistics, the most common type of injuries, and how to avoid them.
How Common are Jet Ski Accidents?
There is nothing more thrilling than carving your way through the waves at enormously high speeds while on the back of a beastly machine.
This activity is extremely attractive to a lot of people, especially to those among us who love involving themselves in high adrenaline pursuits. But, without exercising caution and being aware of your surroundings while using a jet ski, all kinds of accidents and injuries can and will happen.
As the sport of jet skiing has become more popular, the accidents associated with the pastime have become much more common.
In fact, the amount of personal watercraft–related accidents (or PWC accidents) occurring each year is rising. Jet skis can climb up to 70 miles per hour straight out of the box, but they require a great amount of practise and skill to be driven effectively.
Riders need to be familiar with how to handle a jet ski safely in order to not only ensure their own safety but the safety of those around them.
While jet skis are not inherently dangerous, accidents do happen quite commonly.
This is often due to the inexperience of the jet ski operator, the operator taking a completely unnecessary risk, or an operator who overestimates their own skill level and doesn't have the knowledge of how to behave on their watercraft in different situations.
Watercraft Accident Statistics
In the USA, personal watercraft such as jet skis are the second most common type of vehicle involved in recreational boat accidents.
In 2017, the United States Coast Guard's Recreational Boating Statistics showed that:
- 18% of all reported recreational boat accidents, in situations where the vessel was known, involved a personal watercraft
- Forty-six people died in personal watercraft accidents. 17 of those people died by drowning, and 26 died from other causes
- A staggering 624 people were hurt due to personal watercraft accidents
- In New York, six separate people died, and a further 41 people were injured in personal watercraft accidents. This data is from 2018.
New York identified 14 different causes of personal watercraft accidents in 2018, this includes:
- Twenty-seven collisions with recreational boats. This resulted in 19 injuries and two deaths.
- 14 occasions where a person was ejected or left the personal watercraft or jet ski, and this resulted in 11 injuries and two deaths
- Five different cases of capsizing. These resulted in 1 major injury and one death.
- Three groundings that caused two separate injuries
- Three collisions with commercial vessels which resulted in 0 casualties
- Two collisions with floating debris resulted in 1 injury and one death
- Two collisions with fixed objects resulted in 1 casualty
- One fall from a personal watercraft which resulted in an injury
- One fall overboard resulted in 2 separate injuries
- One fire or explosion that resulted in a single injury
- One struck by a boat which resulted in one injury.
- One flooding or swamping, which resulted in 0 casualties
- Five other causes which have not been identified in the data above, resulted in 2 injuries and 0 deaths
- One unknown cause which resulted in 0 casualties
Below is a list of common reasons for the kind of recreational boat accidents just described that occurred in New York:
- Use of alcohol
- Inattention by the personal watercraft operator
- Weather
- Operating a personal watercraft in hazardous waters
- Speeding
- The inexperience of the operator
- Failure of personal watercraft machinery
Overall, in 2018, personal watercraft were involved in 14% of the recreational boat accidents which occurred in New York. They caused 24% of recreational boat injuries, as well as 21% of recreational boat deaths.
Most Common Jet Ski Injuries
In the USA, PWCs are involved in a huge amount of all reported boating injuries.
In the cases where a PWC has a collision with another vehicle, various injuries will occur. The most common injuries are bruises and lacerations. The most serious injuries that can happen as a result of a PWC accident are listed below:
Head injuries
This type of injury is extremely common and will occur when there is some kind of blow to the head.
This will often result in a concussion. During an accident, a person's head can make contact with part of the PWC or the water, which is very dense at high speeds. This can lead to serious injury.
Fractures
Wrist and ankle fractures are the most common type of fracture to occur during a PWC accident, but other bones can be broken in the process due to impact with the water or a collision with another vehicle.
Hydrostatic injuries
A very powerful stream of water is produced in order to propel the PWC. This is called the jet stream or a jet drive.
Because of this, massive quantities of water are propelled out of the machinery at a huge force.
This can result in very serious injury to anyone who finds themselves in the path of the jet.
Spinal Cord injuries
This is a very serious injury. It occurs most commonly when a person is thrown off their PWC at very high speeds, and their back hits the water on impact. This damages the spinal cord.
This scenario is more likely to happen when a PWC is being operated in choppy waters. The injury can result in paralysis, and due to a spinal cord injury always requires immediate medical attention.
Burns
On occasion, a collision can cause a PWC to be set on fire. This can then result in various burns to all those involved.
These burns can be either minor or very serious; this is dependent on how much of the body was exposed to the fire's flames and heat. Burns also require serious and immediate medical attention.
Avoiding common jet ski injuries
There is a thrill with riding jet skis or PWCs that cannot be matched by much else in the world of hobbies.
The feeling of small droplets of seawater spraying on your face cannot be beaten. Jet skis can get as fast as 65 miles per hour, and yet the regulations around their use are actually quite lax. Below we will explore how to avoid some of the most common jet ski injuries, as well as safety precautions
As a result of the loose regulations around jet skis, there are hundreds of horror stories about deaths and injuries associated with the vehicle. These injuries can range from small lacerations and bruises all the way to permanent paralysis and severe head injuries. You should always approach jet skiing with the same level of attention and care as you would if you were driving a car.
It is highly important to be aware of what is around you, or someone could get hurt.
Operating a jet ski is much like operating any other form of heavy machinery, just will the added component of a jet-propelled engine. When you look at it that way, not only is the lack of regulations surrounding the vehicle quite shocking, but it can make you think about how important it is to stay vigilant while operating a PWC.
Here in the UK, you do not need a license in order to operate a jet ski. This means that good sense, awareness, and judgement are required to avoid injury. Below are some tips to help you:
Using essential PWC safety equipment
We would always recommend wearing a life jacket; this is absolutely mandatory. You should always be wearing a life jacket when out on a body of water.
The piece of essential PWC safety equipment is a kill cord. If you end up flying off your jet ski, then the key to the machine will come with you, therefore disabling the jet ski. This is vital, so the jet ski doesn't run over you and cause further harm.
Mindfulness
Being mindful of your own skills and capabilities is essential to ensuring that you do not get out of your depth and end up hurting yourself or others.
It is important that you recognise your own levels of ability and stick to speeds that feel comfortable for you. If you feel that the jet ski is moving too fast and you're losing control, then you must slow down.
Third parties
Whenever you are out on a jet ski, in most cases, there will almost always be other people out in the body of water too. They may not also be using jet skis, but they could be swimming, scuba diving/snorkelling, in a boat, or taking part in another activity.
This is where being aware of all those around you is extremely important; you need to observe your surroundings and make considerations based on what you see.
If your own negligence while operating a PWC or jet ski leads to an injury to another member of the public or damage to the property of another member of the public, then you could be liable for the cost of repair or compensation.
Drinking
Obviously, using a jet ski while inebriated will hugely increase the risk of an accident or injury. However, it is not illegal to drink alcohol while operating a jet ski, though you can be detained if you are deemed to be endangering other vessels.
There are also some harbours with specific bi-laws, which can stipulate that you cannot operate a boat while under the influence of alcohol.
Either way, it is never recommended for you to drink and operate any kind of boat. Any damage caused to your jet ski under these circumstances will not be covered by your boat insurance policies.
Safety Warnings
It is highly important that you pay attention to safety flags when out on the water, especially the flags displayed by other boats. For example, if another boat is using a blue and white Alfa/Alpha flag, this is an international signal indicating there is a diver. This means you should travel at a slow speed and steer clear of the vessel.
International Air Ambulance Service
If you would like to find out any further information about our International Air Ambulance services our friendly team are always on hand to answer your questions and give our customers peace of mind.
