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Jet Ski Hazards

Throughout recent decades, jet skis have become one of the most desired ways to enjoy the water. They provide hours of fun by allowing an individual, with or without passengers, to freely maneuver through the water easily and quickly. Although jet skis are suitable for all ages, their dangers are not to be under appreciated. In order to avoid injury, it is important to become familiar with all jet ski hazards—both apparent and unapparent. To familiarize yourself with such hazards, the owner’s manual is the recommended place to begin. Additionally, Roberts & Roberts has investigated and identified two common types of jet ski hazards that we believe deserve your attention.

The first jet ski hazard is related to the high-pressured stream of water that sprays upward and out of the back of some high performance jet skis. This high-pressured stream, commonly referred to as a “rooster tail,” can cause severe, and sometimes permanent, injury if it strikes a vulnerable part of the human body (e.g., eyes, groin). The rooster tail can be disconnected either for a brief duration of time, or permanently. To avoid injury due to this hazard, it is strongly recommended that you disconnect the rooster tail in the event that you choose to ride with passengers. If you choose to leave the rooster tail connected, please proceed with extreme caution.

The second jet ski hazard is related to the steering. This hazard exists due to the natural tendency, and reinforced behavior while driving a car, to release the throttle, attempt to engage the brakes, and/or steer away from oncoming danger. Unlike a car, a jet ski does not have brakes and will not steer once the throttle is released, instead, it will continue to move forward in the direction the throttle was last engaged. To avoid injury due to this hazard, it is important to keep in mind that the most effective way to avoid oncoming danger is to turn the steering handle while maintaining, or sometimes increasing, pressure on the throttle.