Why did the Commission pass the mandatory education requirement?
Even though PWC currently make up about 7 percent of the 350,000+ boats registered in Pennsylvania, they were involved in a disproportionate number of boating accidents and complaints from other boaters and anglers. In 1999, 36 percent of all reported boating accidents involved at least one PWC, and 45 percent of all boating collisions involved at least one PWC. Analysis by the Fish and Boat Commission shows that operators not keeping a proper lookout or operating a boat in a reckless manner usually cause these accidents. Many of the accidents are caused by people new to boat operation, and nearly all of these accidents are avoidable.
