Push to ban young teens on jetskis without adult on board
EXCLUSIVE: YOUNG teenagers would be banned from riding jetskis without an adult on board under draft laws in Victoria.
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YOUNG teenagers would be banned from riding jetskis without an adult on board under draft laws in Victoria.
The Herald Sun has learned that a loophole — which allows teens aged 12 to 16 to ride the powerful water crafts solo, so as long as they have a restricted marine licence — will be closed.
Under proposed amendments to go before parliament on Wednesday, anyone below the age of 16 with a restricted licence would still need to have someone who has a full licence on board.
Ports Minister Luke Donnellan confirmed the changes, saying that “this is about keeping our kids safe on the water, and ultimately saving lives”.
Concerns about the age of people riding jetskis unsupervised have been mounting in recent years, as the power of the machines has increased.
Children are seven times more at risk of being injured in a jetski incident than all other age groups, and are three times more at risk than young adults aged between 17 and 25.
Mr Donnellan said children as young as 12, riding jetskis unsupervised at high speeds, was “incredibly dangerous”.
“Our doctors and emergency services have made it clear that minors are much more likely to get hurt on a jetski.
“This Bill will stop anyone aged between 12 and 16 from operating a jetski on their own,” Mr Donnellan said.
He said children could still ride with an adult on board, and learn about the craft “in a controlled way, without putting their own safety and the safety of others at risk”.
Of all boating injuries, 13 per cent involve a jetski.
Some of the newer jetskis can operate at up to 100kmh, and are supercharged to allow for extreme acceleration.
The latest data over a seven-year period show that of 647 jetski, or personalised watercraft, incidents, 29 involved children under 14, and 309 involved people between the ages of 15 and 29.
