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UF4R13E0.book Page 13 Friday, March 31, 2023 1:54 PM

Safety information

in certain kinds of accidents and that it craft is in motion. Lifting your feet increases
could injure you in others. the chances of losing your balance or hit-
A helmet is designed to provide some head ting objects outside the watercraft with
protection. Although helmets cannot pro- your feet.
tect against all foreseeable impacts, a hel-
met might reduce your injuries in a collision
with a boat or other obstacle.
A helmet may have potential safety haz-
ards, as well. Falling into the water could
risk the chance of the helmet catching wa-
ter, commonly known as “bucketing”, and
the resulting strain on your neck could
cause choking, severe and permanent
neck injuries, or death. A helmet could also
increase the risk of an accident if it reduces  Always consult your doctor on whether it is
your vision or hearing, or if it distracts you safe for you to operate this watercraft if you
or increases your fatigue. are pregnant or in poor health.
How should you decide if a helmet’s poten-  Do not attempt to modify this watercraft.
tial safety benefits outweigh its potential Modifications to your watercraft may re-
risks for you? Consider your particular rid- duce safety and reliability, and render the
ing conditions. Consider factors such as watercraft unsafe or illegal for use.
your riding environment and your riding  Attach the engine shut-off cord (lanyard) to
style and ability. Also consider the likeli- your left wrist and keep it free from the han-
hood of traffic congestion, and the water dlebars so that the engine stops if you, the
surface conditions. If you decide to wear a operator, fall off. After riding, remove the
helmet based upon your riding circum- engine shut-off cord (lanyard) from the wa-
stances, choose one carefully. Look for a tercraft to avoid accidental starting or un-
helmet designed for personal watercraft authorized use by children or others.
use, if possible. Consider a helmet meeting
Snell or DOT standards. If you will be en-
gaging in closed-course competition, fol-
low the helmet requirements of the
sanctioning organization.
 Never operate the watercraft after consum-
ing alcohol or taking other drugs.
 For reasons of safety and proper care of
the watercraft, always perform the pre-op-
eration checks listed on page 45 before op-
erating the watercraft.  Scan carefully for swimmers, and stay
 The operator should always keep both feet away from swimming areas. Swimmers are
or knees on the riding tray when the water-

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