PWC age limit may rise in Michigan

Senate races PWC operator age to 14

Lawmakers in Michigan have voted to raise the minimum age for operating a personal watercraft to 14 and raise the age limit for riding unsupervised to 16.

According to the Associated Press, the bill, passed by the Senate, would also allow PWC users to ride on lakes until sunset, which is one hour longer than under the existing law.

Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm has yet to sign off on the bill, but it should be on her desk shortly.

“This bill will save lives,” Rep. Ted Hammon, a Democrat from Burton, Mich. who is sponsoring the Bill, told the Associated Press. “These things are even more dangerous than a car. You can’t turn them as fast as you can a car.”

The bill passed 23-14 in the Senate, with 14 Democrats and nine Republicans giving their support. Eleven Republicans and three Democrats opposed the legislation.

Currently, Michigan law allows 12 and 13-year-olds to operate personal watercraft if they have a safety certificate and are riding with a parent or guardian. This new legislation would prohibit children under 14 from operating personal watercraft, even if they are supervised, while 14 and 15-year-old children would only be able to ride with an adult or within 100 feet of an adult.

According to Hammon, if this bill becomes law, it would not take effect until October 2011 in order to ‘grandfather’ in younger riders whose families may have recently purchased a personal watercraft.