Many accidents occur when very young or inexperienced operators are allowed to use personal watercraft without proper supervision or instruction. Experienced users also cause accidents when engaged in acrobatic maneuvers such as sharp turns and wave jumping. Personal watercraft have been involved in numerous accidents resulting in serious injuries and fatalities in national parks. Conflicts with other visitors in boats and at swimming areas are very common. Currently, national park system units use state boating laws, U.S. Coast Guard regulations, and federal regulations specific to the National Park Service to manage boating activity and enforce safety restrictions.
Legal requirements involving personal watercraft vary widely from state to state.
Under the NPS servicewide regulation, personal watercraft use would only be allowed in a limited number of areas, primarily national recreation areas, national seashores, and national lakeshores. The proposed rule prohibits personal watercraft use in units of the national park system unless the National Park Service determines that such use is appropriate for a specific unit based on that unit's enabling legislation, resources and values, other visitor uses, and overall management objectives. The proposal incorporates and distinguishes two methods of authorizing personal watercraft use. The first method is available for a relatively small group of park units where authorization might be appropriately and successfully accomplished through locally based procedures. The second method, unit-specific rule making through the Federal Register, is available for all other park units where authorization is deemed appropriate.