Ride Technology | PWC Accident Statistics

PWC experience a disproportionate number of accidents as compared to traditional recreational powerboats, a fact recognized by the NTSB, USCG, NASBLA, American Medical Association (AMA) and Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

70% of PWC accidents are collisions and 70% of these are collisions with other PWC. In other words, half (49%) of all PWC accidents are collisions with other PWC. It was these and other disproportionate and rising PWC accident statistics that prompted the NTSB to conduct the first nationwide PWC Safety Study in 1998.

PWC represent around 7% of registered vessels, but account for 35% of all boating accidents. A United States Coast Guard (USCG) sponsored survey found that the exposure rate for non-fatal PWC accidents is 6.5 times higher than for traditional recreational powerboats. A few years earlier a survey of hospital admissions conducted by the American Medical Association (AMA) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) found that PWC operators were 8.5 times more likely to be injured than persons in power boats.

Another recent study of hospital admissions found that in the Orlando, Florida area only 8% of all non-fatal PWC accidents requiring hospital treatment were reported to state authorities. This means that there are 12.5 times more PWC accidents occurring than are reported for this type of accident.

It has been argued that these disproportionate statistics are the result of a higher exposure rates for PWC. However, an exposure study performed for the USCG found just the opposite to be true; Recreational boats have ten times more exposure hours than do PWC, and based on the number of hours operated, PWC have higher fatality rates than boats.

The following chart shows data for PWC sales, population, accidents, injuries and fatalities since 1987.

PWC Accident Statistics

The state of Florida has the most detailed and accurate PWC statistics of any state. The following graph shows that in 2001 Off-Throttle Steering (Loss) was the second leading cause of PWC accidents in Florida. Florida is the only state to identify OTSL as a possible cause of PWC accidents in their boating accident report forms.

Florida PWC Accidents 2001