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
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.