Riding personal watercraft on Michigan lakes is a great way

to have fun on a hot summer day, but it's also a tragedy waiting to happen

if common sense and due care are not followed.Most owners know how to

operate a personal watercraft because Michigan law requires completion of

safety training classes before young operators can become licensed. But

owners often will let untrained friends "take a turn" on the water and

then very bad things can happen. The problem with personal watercraft is

people striking other people in the water, either another craft or a

swimmer, says attorney Terry Cochran, senior partner of Cochran, Foley &

Associates, Livonia, MI. Operators of personal watercraft, travelling at

high rates of speed, must always be very careful and extra vigilant to

spot people in the water. The craft may inadvertently travel into a

designated swimming area, or a swimmer may wander outside the area. Since

you can't brake the vehicle, tragedy can easily occur when the operator is

inattentive.Another major factor is the use of alcohol by personal

watercraft operators. Friends are out having fun on the lake on a hot

weekend day, adds Cochran. When alcohol becomes part of the formula for

fun, then the watercraft should be docked for the day. Cochran also

cautions against using personal watercraft for tubing. I know lots of

people use personal watercraft for tubing or water skiing but these

vehicles are not designed to pull people through the water, says Cochran.

The craft may have a hook for towing but the operator has very little

control over a tube swinging directly toward a swimmer. Many states allow

use of personal watercraft for tubing if there is a passenger spotter, but

it still is a dangerous practice. And the consequences of careless

personal watercraft operators can be very serious, especially for young

people. In any given year, about 20 percent of all personal watercraft

injuries in the U.S. are to youth under the age of 18. Of those injured

children, 46% were operators and 27% were passengers. Today there are more

than one million personal watercraft vessels in use, resulting in an

average of about 5,000 accidents each year causing 2,600 injuries and more

than 70 deaths. The Coalition of Parents and Families for Personal

Watercraft Safety conducted a 10-year study of personal watercraft that

showed: 55.1% of the injuries were to the head, face, and/or neck; 60.7%

of the trauma cases involved 10-14 year olds; 83% of the accidents

required at least 1 surgical procedure; 42.2% of the victims were admitted

to intensive care; 42.4% had disabilities after injury and 6.1 % died.

Other injuries include carbon monoxide poisoning, burns, amputations,

hypothermia, head trauma, disfigurement, and broken bones.Watercraft

vessels are usually operated by a person who is sitting, standing, or

kneeling. As an inboard boat, personal watercrafts are required to follow

the same rules and requirements of other powerboats, in addition to any

specific rules applicable to personal watercraft.Personal watercraft are

about 8 feet long and are powered by self-contained engines with an

enclosed propeller that uses pressured water for thrust. These smaller

watercraft can reach top speeds of 70 m.p.h. Most models are designed to

accommodate 2 to 3 passengers. A personal watercraft cannot be steered

when the engine is off, even though momentum may still carry the craft

forward. Personal watercraft make up only 6.5% of all boating vessels

owned in the U.S. but are involved in 55% of all boat collisions. The U.S.

Coast Guard found in 2002 that a personal watercraft operator is seven

times more likely to get hurt than a motor boat operator and 30 times more

likely than a canoer or kayaker. Collisions with docks, larger boats and

other personal watercraft account for more than 65% of all reported

injuries. Collisions often occur when operators attempt to jump the wake

generated by another vessel.In Michigan, no one younger than age 12 can

operate a personal watercraft. Persons 12 and older who were born after

1978 can operate a personal watercraft only if they obtained a safety

boating certificate which is issued after taking required safety classes.

Personal watercraft operators and owners have a legal duty to exercise the

highest degree of care in order to prevent injuries to others, says

Cochran. The overwhelming majority of boating accidents are caused by

factors that can be controlled by the operator. If you've been the victim

of a personal watercraft accident, you have the right to seek reparations

for your injuries. Because these vessels pose a unique danger of serious

personal injury and death, and involve complex legal and safety issues,

you need an experienced attorney to help you.The attorneys at Cochran &

Foley have the skills, legal knowledge and experience needed to protect

people who have suffered personal injury or the death of a loved one

because of a boating accident and will seek to win payment for their

clients' injuries, expenses, and loss. For a free consultation call

800-322-5543 and ask for Terry Cochran or Lynn Foley or visit:

www.cochranfoley.com