Abstract
A personal watercraft (PWC) is a vessel that uses an inboard motor powering a water jet pump as a source of power and is operated by a person sitting, standing, or kneeling. Maneuvering a PWC is different from operating a motor vehicle or boat. An obstacle cannot be avoided by slowing down and turning the watercraft; throttle power is required to turn or maneuver the PWC. The watercraft stops only by drifting or turning sharply. The study examined sixty court decisions published in LexisNexis databases of the United States over the last decade. Cases included individuals injured while operating a PWC as a driver, passenger, or as a result of contact with a watercraft. A content analysis identified items to be used in the study. Crosstab and logistic regression analyses were used to identify demographic information and the characteristics of those who succeeded in a court of law. One-third of the cases were successful; adults, males, and the party who sustained a severe injury were more successful in a court of law with the exception of the statistically significant factors (high risk maneuvers and sharp turns). Among the additional results, we should be aware that insurance companies may not pay; additionally, it is unwise to loan a PWC to a female who has no experience.
Highlights
Personal Watercrafts (PWC’s) provide an exciting experience for individuals who enjoy a challenge on the water
Forty (67%) of the personal watercraft (PWC) incidents were involved in a collision with a PWC, boat or other while a fall from a PWC accounted for seven (12%)
The successful female adults included three passengers, three drivers, three out of four product liability claims, two who fell from the PWC, and one who went over a dam
Summary
Personal Watercrafts (PWC’s) provide an exciting experience for individuals who enjoy a challenge on the water. It feels like a jet-powered vehicle when skimming over the water surface. With this challenge, PWC’s provide the potential for injury and, on occasion, death. With the emergence of faster personal watercraft and their subsequent popularity, an increase in injuries has occurred [1,2]. The likelihood of injury in water sports is higher than the chance of injury in sport in general. Males, often use motorized watercraft more like toys than vehicles, performing tricks and traveling at high speeds [3]
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