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| May 21 2009 |
| The Miami Herald: Require boater-safety education
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BY MAUREEN A. HEALEY
To legally drive a car, you must be at least 16, pass a driver's-education course and carry a valid license, correct?
The operation of a boat, specifically a personal watercraft (PWC), should be no different. We don't think twice about getting behind the wheel of a car until we have met these legal requirements. It's not only illegal to do so. It could be dangerous for us and others on the road. This same common sense should be applied to our waterways. That's why these vital requirements for operating a car are the same requirements the PWC industry advocates for state lawmakers to adopt.
While states have taken positive steps to reduce boating accidents, more can be done. In the spirit of National Safe Boating Week, lawmakers should consider taking the already-strong Florida boating laws to the next step.
The PWC industry encourages all states to enact responsible regulations to ensure all boaters are having an enjoyable time on the water without incident or tragedy. We urge state legislators to enact our model legislation. The key elements -- setting a minimum age requirement of 16 to operate a PWC (18 for rentals) and requiring all PWC operators, regardless of age and experience, to pass a boater education course.
If 16 is a proven age for our roadways, then it should be applied to our waterways. You wouldn't allow 12- or 14-year-olds to operate a car. Why, then, would you allow them to operate a PWC?
Sixteen states require a minimum age of 16 to operate a PWC. Florida isn't one. The Legislature did consider raising the minimum operating age for PWC use from 14 to 16, but it has yet to pass. Hopefully, 2010 will be a different story.
Education is also critical. According to the U.S. Coast Guard, 75 percent of the nation's 685 boating fatalities in 2007 occurred on boats where the operator hadn't taken a boater education course. In Florida, the situation isn't any better. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) reported 93 percent of the 54 fatalities in 2008 occurred on boats where the operator hadn't taken a course.
Twenty-four states have enacted some form of boater-education requirement. Eight require courses for all boaters, and four require it for PWC operators. Several, though, only require operators born after a certain date to take a course, largely ignoring older boaters. Coast Guard data consistently shows on average those involved in accidents are 40 years of age. Thus, the majority of boating operators aren't adequately addressed by youth-based policies.
Florida's mandatory boater education law applies only to 21 year olds and under. Like the Coast Guard, the FWC states that, ``The boat operator most likely to be involved in a boating accident is a middle-age or older male who has plenty of boating experience yet has never learned the most important safety considerations by having taken a boating safety course.''
We know that education works. Florida is a great example. Since enacting its boater-education law in 1996, the state has had a 48-percent decrease in boating accidents though the number of vessels registered in Florida has increased by 34 percent according to FWC data. Imagine if that law was expanded to include all boaters. It might be inconvenient to go back to class for a few hours, but it's a worthwhile investment for Florida's boating community.
In terms of operation, boats are no different than vehicles on the road. Boaters, particularly PWC operators, should be held to the same legal standards as drivers on the road. Accidents can occur both on land and water. If all states do their part, we can prevent most of these tragedies.
Over the next five years, I hope to see 10 more states adopt these key elements. We shouldn't let another boating season pass without taking additional steps to improve boating safety.
Maureen A. Healey is the executive director of the Personal Watercraft Industry Association (PWIA) and a member of the Board of Directors for the National Safe Boating Council.
http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/other-views/story/1058402.html
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