Table 2-48: Personal Watercraft Safety Data
| 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fatalities | 5 | 20 | 20 | 28 | 26 | 34 | 35 | 56 | 68 | 57 | 84 | 78 | 66 | 68 | 50 | 71 | 57 | 56 | 65 | 68 | 67 | 45 | 42 | 38 | 44 | 58 | 36 | 34 |
| Injured persons | 156 | 254 | 402 | 532 | 708 | 730 | 915 | 1,338 | 1,617 | 1,837 | 1,812 | 1,743 | 1,614 | 1,580 | 1,424 | 1,362 | 1,228 | 952 | 1,007 | 919 | 982 | 920 | 878 | 776 | 764 | 721 | 601 | 592 |
| Accidentsa | 376 | 650 | 844 | 1,162 | 1,513 | 1,650 | 2,236 | 3,002 | 3,986 | 4,099 | 4,070 | 3,607 | 3,374 | 3,268 | 2,562 | 2,225 | 1,994 | 1,664 | 1,692 | 1,631 | 1,655 | 1,459 | 1,332 | 1,221 | 1,158 | 1,111 | 954 | 891 |
| Sales | 29,000 | 48,000 | 64,000 | 72,000 | 68,000 | 79,000 | 107,000 | 142,000 | 200,000 | 191,000 | 176,000 | 130,000 | 106,000 | 92,000 | 80,900 | 79,300 | 80,600 | 79,500 | 80,200 | 82,200 | 79,900 | 62,600 | 44,500 | 41,600 | 42,900 | 38,500 | 39,400 | 47,900 |
| Number in use | 92,756 | 126,881 | 178,510 | 241,376 | 305,915 | 372,283 | 454,545 | 600,000 | 760,000 | 900,000 | 1,000,000 | 1,180,000 | 1,200,000 | 1,230,000 | 1,220,000 | 1,220,000 | 1,170,000 | 1,250,000 | 1,230,000 | 1,190,000 | 1,190,000 | 1,240,000 | 1,330,000 | 1,270,000 | 1,270,000 | 1,250,000 | 1,270,000 | 1,200,000 |
a Total vessels involved.
NOTES
Personal watercraft are less than 13 feet in length and are designed to be operated by a person or persons sitting, standing, or kneeling on the craft rather than within the confines of the hull.
Watercraft Number in use and Sales are estimates.
SOURCES
Fatalities, injuries, and accidents:
U.S. Department of Homeland Security, United States Coast Guard, Office of Boating Safety, Boating Statistics (Washington, DC: Annual Issues), table 19 and similar tables in earlier editions, available at http://uscgboating.org/statistics/accident_statistics.php as of Sept. 15, 2015.
Sales:
1987-90: Personal Watercraft Industry Association, available at http://www.pwia.org/faq/ as of June 19, 2000.
1991-2013: National Marine Manufacturers Association, Recreational Boating Statistical Abstract (Annual Issues), table 3.1 and similar tables in earlier editions, available at http://www.nmma.org/statistics/publications/statisticalabstract.aspx as of Sept. 19, 2014.
Use:
1987-96: National Marine Manufacturers Association, data compiled by the United States Coast Guard, personal communications.
1997-98: Ibid., available at http://www.nmma.org/facts/boatingstats/statistic98.html as of June 19, 2000.
1999-2013: National Marine Manufacturers Association, Recreational Boating Statistical Abstract (Annual Issues), table 1.3 and similar tables in earlier editions, available at http://www.nmma.org/statistics/publications/statisticalabstract.aspx as of Sept. 19, 2014.