Personal watercraft injuries.

To the Editor. — Personal watercraft or personal water vehicles are small class A inboard-powered, water-jet-propelled craft that an operator rides on or behind as opposed to inside, as with conventional motorboats. 1 Several models are manufactured, including the Jetski, SeaDoo, Wetbike, Wetjet, Surfjet, Waverunner, Wavejammer, Fastrac, and Fazer. 1,2 Consumers are attracted to these vessels because they are small, fast, and maneuverable. As with other motorized vehicles that can attain high speed, there is a risk of injury associated with their use. Study.— Cases were identified from the Dade County Trauma Register by reviewing all entries coded as sports, water accident, or drowning from September 1985 through August 1988. We included individuals injured on and injured by personal watercraft. These cases represent all fatalities and survivors who sustained injuries severe enough to necessitate transport to a trauma center in Dade County, Florida. Six people were injured riding a personal