Watercraft Accidents

A day on the water should never end with a trip to the hospital. In this video, Stacey Stevens shares how jet ski and Sea‑Doo accidents happen, and how to best protect yourself.

I’ve spent the last ten summers on a lake. And I consistently see every weekend people driving Sea-Doos or jet skis recklessly. People are out on the lake. They’re driving extremely fast, doing tricks, spinning on the jet skis, and not really paying attention to the surroundings. Time and time again, I’ve seen them come far too close to people who are swimming in the lake.

What is the law regarding personal watercraft?

• You have to be 16 years old to operate a Sea-Doo.
• You have to have a pleasure craft operator’s license.
• There’s a list of safety equipment that you have to carry on the Sea-Doo when you’re riding
• You have to have a license number on your Sea-Doo that’s visibly prominent.
• No consumption of alcohol, no consumption of drugs

Is insurance required?

Although insurance isn’t mandatory for operating a Sea-Doo, it’s highly recommended. If you get in an accident while you’re driving your Sea-Doo and you injure someone else, whether it’s your passenger or whether it’s someone who’s swimming in the water, you can be sued for damages. And if you don’t have the appropriate insurance on your Sea-Doo, then you will be covering the cost of hiring your own lawyer, and you’re going to have to pay the judgment for any damages that they get against you.

Contact Stacey and Thomson Rogers LLP

In my two decades as a practicing lawyer, I have had multiple watercraft injury and fatality cases. If you or your family member have been injured or have lost someone in a watercraft case, please don’t hesitate to contact me. I’m always more than willing to talk to you and give you the advice and direction you need.

Stacey Stevens is a partner and a personal injury lawyer at Thomson Rogers LLP. She devoted her practice to helping people who have sustained serious personal injuries from car, motorcycle, boating accidents and slip and falls. Stacey’s expertise has been sought out in interviews on Canada AM, the Business News Network and CFRB Radio, and in newspapers and magazines, including the Lawyer’s Weekly, Law Times, The Litigator and The Globe and Mail. Stacey can be reached at 416-868-3186 or by email.