Denmark Tightene Water Scooter Regulations

 

The new initiatives are to prevent accidents at sea by securing, inter alia, that those riding water scooters have the skills needed and are familiar with current regulations. 

 

At the same time, the new initiatives are to make it easier to identify water scooters and their owners and to hold somebody responsible and intervene when the rules are not observed and others' safety is jeopardised.

 

Minister for Industry, Business and Financial Affairs Brian Mikkelsen said: "It is important that everyone can feel safe in Danish waters and in our ports. In this connection, it is of course decisive that everybody sailing – also those riding water scooters – have the necessary skills, are familiar with current regulations and are aware of the risks associated with high-speed sailing. Unfortunately, we have seen recently that this is not always the case.

 

Therefore, I am pleased that we can now tighten the rules, inter alia, by introducing a special operator's license for water scooters. At the same time, we are examining the possibilities of introducing a mandatory insurance for water scooters, which will make it easier to hold somebody responsible as well as to get compensation in case of injury, and which will improve the possibilities of identifying water scooters and their owners.

 

Furthermore, we will – together with the Minister of Justice – consider the possibility of confiscating water scooters due to insane riding or in case of repeated violations of the law, just as we will scrutinise the regulations on suspension of an operator's license at sea."

 

The initiatives to be taken are the following: As of 1 January 2018, the Danish Maritime Authority will introduce an operator's license with special qualification requirements, which means inter alia that operators must demonstrate – in a practical test – that they are capable of riding a water scooter in a safe manner.

 

During this yachting season, the Danish Pleasure Craft Safety Board will – together with the Danish Maritime Authority – launch an information campaign with special focus on water scooters and speed boats operating in port areas and other areas where there are other users.

 

Together with the insurance industry, the possibilities of introducing a mandatory liability insurance for water scooters will be considered, which will make it easier to hold somebody responsible and to claim compensation, and which will also make it easier to identify water scooters and their owners.

 

Together with the Ministry of Justice, the possibilities of confiscating water scooters in case of irresponsible operation will be examined. At the same time, the possibilities of suspending an operator's license will be scrutinised so that it becomes possible to intervene appropriately in case of insane riding.