The Fact
Sheet
Coalition of Parents and
Families for Personal Watercraft Safety
In January
2000 the Coalition of Parents and Families for Personal Watercraft
Safety was formed with a core group of parents and families of PWC
accident victims. Each family had dealt with the tragic loss, or
the ongoing physical disability of a loved one, and had resolved
to do what they could to help others avoid ever having that
experience.
As
of 2000, most states have still failed to pass laws requiring
mandatory boater education for PWC operators. Public perception of
PWC and education concerning PWC remains largely inadequate. Two
years after the National Transportation Safety Board’s
recommendation to the Coast Guard to develop feasibility studies
for more off-throttle steering control, there is no published
report.
Through consensus the following
objectives were adopted:
- Increased safety through public
awareness and education concerning the nature of personal
watercraft as vehicles with significant horsepower and without
off-throttle steering or braking capacity.
- Increased safety through legislation
requiring certification of all Personal Watercraft operators,
and limits of youth operation to none below the age of
16.
- Increased safety through timely
manufacturer compliance with NTSB recommendations for adequate
warning, labeling, padding, helmet use, and off-throttle
steering and braking capacity development.
The
Coalition of Parents and Families for Personal Watercraft Safety
works with Federal, State, and local government entities to
encourage education of active and potential PWC operators.
Activities include public service announcements and posters
reminding PWC operators of the nature of Personal Watercraft, of
responsibility of owners and operators to comply with all laws,
and of the need for extreme caution while operating
PWC.
As a
proactive entity, the Coalition is taking stock of current law and
proposed laws governing PWC. Laws limiting operation of PWC to
those who have shown proficiency in a hands-on course are
endorsed. The Coalition will work with Federal, State, and local
governments to pass more appropriate laws and to ensure adequate
law enforcement funding.
The
Coalition is gathering data on the PWC industry and the PWIA.
While the Coalition recognizes some positive moves in recent years
by the industry, the push for speed over controllability has not
been acceptable. The Coalition finds the industry wanting in its’
efforts to educate the public concerning the lack of off-throttle
steering and possible ramifications. Not having designed the
vehicles with off-throttle steering capacity or the ability to
brake, the industry has placed its customers in danger and then
failed to warn them. Since they have been marketed as a
thrill-producing vehicle, it is incumbent upon the industry to
better warn and remind operators that operation at high speeds may
limit the amount of information the operator is able to process
about potential danger while producing an increased possibility of
danger.
The
Coalition of Parents and Families for Personal Watercraft Safety
is a growing organization.
Members are encouraged to be informed
and to participate in community, State, and National efforts to
improve PWC safety.
For
more information, contact us via email at info@pwcwatch.org
