A year ago I took ABS, the About Boating Safety course. This is mandatory in New Jersey. I have mixed feelings about it. I am glad that aquamorons can no longer go out and buy a jet ski or speedboat, get drunk and then buzz around recklessly. They have to learn the basics and pass the test of boating safely. The downside is that people like me who have been sailing and operating boats for 25 years, have taken a bunch of certifications, still had to take the course. I missed the waive-in period (that was my fault) but after that no exceptions. It was a full-day of my life that I will never get back and I knew more operating a sailboat than the instructor.
Here's my question. Do they have mandatory boater safety where you live and is it making a difference?
It is mandatory in New Jersey. I can't find any stats saying that it's making a difference other than a general stat that 75% of boating fatalities had operators with no boating instruction. Reason enough to make it mandatory but no evidence yet that it's decreasing accidents as far as I know.
It's mandatory in Canada and if you don't take a test you can get a $250 fine. You can take the test online too here at Boaterexam.com. I think you can take the test online too in NJ.
What's been your experience?
Note: I did receive a contribution to the Turinas Boat Restoration Fund for mentioning Boaterexam.com but they asked nicely.
New Mexico requires that all boat operators born after January 1, 1989, take a boating safety class. I’m not sure exactly why the people who crafted that law chose a date of birth as a cutoff rather than an age requirement, but when the law was first enacted, it applied to 17-year-olds, and now it applies to 22-year-olds. I guess the idea is that eventually it will apply to all boaters.
I have no idea, however, whether any studies have been done to show whether the law makes an actual difference.
Colorado has a requirement that all boaters under the age of 18 take a safety course; Gerald took the Colorado course when he was 15.
Texas was the first state in the U.S. to require a safety course for operators of PWCs. I know I’ve seen statistics that show Texas’ program has made a difference, but I don’t remember where I saw those stats.
In the Netherlands one has to take an exam before operating a boat with a length of 15m or more and for boats *capable* of going 20km/h or faster (including jet-skies). And yes, I think it makes a difference.