PERSONAL WATERCRAFT ARE DANGEROUS FUN, SAYS UA RESEARCHER

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - There's danger in the water. Over the past five years, more than 110 people have been injured or killed on Arkansas rivers and lakes while using personal watercraft vehicles, says a University of Arkansas researcher.

"Personal watercraft collisions make up 30 percent of all boating accident reports in the state of Arkansas," said Chester Jones, assistant professor of health science."That's a huge proportion of incidents for the number of personal watercraft on the water.

"In addition, more than half of those injured in these collisions are children under the age of 14," Jones said.

Jones has conducted one of the first descriptive studies to examine the dangers of personal watercraft use throughout the world. The results of his research will be published in an upcoming issue of the "International Journal of Accident Analysis and Prevention."

By studying boating accident reports from the Arkansas State Game and Fish Commission, Jones discovered that 247 personal watercraft incidents were reported between the years of 1994 and 1997. Many of the people most seriously injured in these collisions were young children, he said.

But what is most surprising about Jones' findings is the fact that most of the injured children were not swimming or riding as passengers when the collisions happened. Rather, they were operating the vehicles.

"These vehicles can go up to 70 miles per hour with 135 horsepower, and there are ten-year-olds operating them on the same water as powerboats," said Jones, "You can see how it's a dangerous mix."

In part, children are able to take such risks because the state has insufficient age restrictions for the operation of personal watercraft. But Jones says that other factors contribute to the danger kids face on the water - such as lack of adult supervision, inferior strength and coordination, and refusal to wear life jackets.

In addition, the personal watercraft industry seems to encourage children's interest in these vehicles.

"There's no evidence that these machines are marketed toward children, but they're bright, colorful and fast. They're magnets for children and young adults," said Jones.

"At the same time, the vehicles aren't designed for younger riders," he said. "Children operate these things when they can't reach the proper controls to slow or maneuver the machine."

The combination of high speed and lack of control are a dangerous equation on their own. But when figured into a summer lake environment with swimmers, large boats and other personal watercraft, the risk factors climb.

According to Jones, the most common type of wreck occurs when two personal watercraft collide. Though choppy water and high winds can make conditions more dangerous, most collisions are simply due to reckless behavior.

"Often, a personal watercraft will follow close behind a larger boat and jump its wake. Chances are, they'll end up crashing down onto another boat or personal watercraft," Jones said. "You also see personal watercraft colliding with docks and running over swimmers. This is a dangerous kind of fun.

" But just as other dangerous recreational vehicles - like ATVs - have been made less risky by following precautions, Jones says there are steps that can be taken to assure people's safety on the water.

On an individual level, Jones recommends stronger adult supervision, swimming lessons and the use of life jackets.

"It's an inherent risk that if you're on the water you might fall in," he said. "State law declares that anyone under the age of 12 must wear a flotation device. I think that should apply to people of all ages."

On a government level, Jones believes that states need to enforce higher age restrictions for operating recreational vehicles. In addition, he advocates mandatory boater education.

"Ninety-eight percent of accident reports show that the operator had no boater education before he got on the water," Jones said.

And on a corporate level, Jones hopes that personal watercraft manufacturers will modify their designs to include more safety features and to accommodate smaller or younger riders.

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