September 27, 2006

New Personal Watercraft Regulations Go Into Effect This Sunday, October 1, 2006

The Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) today announced that beginning on October 1, 2006, new legislation goes into effect prohibiting a passenger from riding in front of the operator of a personal watercraft (PWC). In addition, it prohibits any passenger from riding on a PWC behind the operator unless the passenger is able to securely hold on to the person in front of them or to the watercraft’s handholds and keep both feet on the personal watercraft’s deck to maintain balance while it operates. Violators are subject to a fine of between $60 and $250. The new law is Public Act 06-76.

"Children in particular will benefit from this new legislation," said Tom Morrissey, Chief of the DEP’s Bureau of Outdoor Recreation. "When permitted to ride in front of an operator on a personal watercraft, children often become injured during a collision or when encountering a large wave. In addition, in many cases, children lack the physical height and strength needed to safely ride on a personal watercraft. When riding on the back of a personal watercraft, small children can easily lose their grip on the person in front of them or the handholds, especially if their feet are not long enough to be firmly planted on the deck of the personal watercraft."