Effective - 24 Jun 1997
306.142. Personal watercraft, regulations — personal flotation devices — age restriction — reasonable and prudent operation — exceptions. — 1. No person shall operate a personal watercraft unless each person aboard is wearing a type I, type II, type III or type V personal flotation device approved by the United States Coast Guard.
2. A person operating a personal watercraft equipped by the manufacturer with a lanyard-type engine cutoff switch shall attach such lanyard to the person's body, clothing, or personal flotation device as appropriate for the specific vessel.
3. No person under fourteen years of age shall operate a personal watercraft on the waters of this state, except that a person under fourteen years of age may operate a personal watercraft if a person at least sixteen years of age is aboard the personal watercraft.
4. Every personal watercraft shall at all times be operated in a reasonable and prudent manner. Maneuvers which unreasonably or unnecessarily endanger life, limb or property, including, but not limited to, weaving through congested vessel traffic, jumping the wake of another vessel when visibility around such vessel is obstructed, becoming airborne or completely leaving the water while crossing the wake of another vessel within one hundred feet of the vessel creating the wake, operating at a speed in excess of a slow-no wake speed within fifty feet of any vessel or any person in or on the water, and operating at such a speed and proximity to another vessel so as to require the operator to swerve to avoid collision, shall constitute unsafe or reckless operation of a personal watercraft. No person shall operate a personal watercraft on any waters of this state for towing a person or persons on water skis, or a surfboard, or similar device unless there is a person on the personal watercraft, in addition to the operator, or an approved ski mirror attached to the personal watercraft, in a position to observe the progress of the person or persons being towed.
5. No person who owns a personal watercraft or who has charge over or control of a personal watercraft shall authorize or knowingly permit the personal watercraft to be operated in violation of this section, nor shall a parent or guardian authorize or knowingly permit a child of such parent or guardian to operate a personal watercraft in violation of this section.
6. The provisions of this section shall not apply to a person participating in a regatta, race, marine parade, tournament, or exhibition for which a permit has been issued by the water patrol division.
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(L. 1995 H.B. 217, A.L. 1997 H.B. 379)
Effective 6-24-97
CROSS REFERENCE:
Penalty provisions for violations of this section, 306.210
Structure Missouri Revised Statutes
Title XIX - Motor Vehicles, Watercraft and Aviation
Chapter 306 - Watercraft Regulation and Licensing — Water Patrol Division
Section 306.010 - Definitions.
Section 306.020 - Vessels to be numbered — number, where displayed.
Section 306.035 - Certificate of title, form of.
Section 306.040 - Certified number only on boat.
Section 306.050 - Notice of change of address of certificate holder — procedure.
Section 306.080 - Vessels exempt from numbering requirements.
Section 306.090 - Maximum sound levels for recreational motorboats — exceptions.
Section 306.100 - Classification of vessels — equipment requirements.
Section 306.113 - Operate defined — probable cause required.
Section 306.115 - Parasailing, requirements, prohibited, when.
Section 306.120 - Towing persons on skis or surfboard, regulations.
Section 306.122 - Motorboat or vessel operator, minimum age, exceptions, penalty.
Section 306.128 - Boating offenses, offender requirements.
Section 306.129 - Rulemaking authority.
Section 306.130 - Regattas, races and other activities, authorization, regulation of.
Section 306.140 - Accident or collision, duties of operator — report required, when.
Section 306.150 - Watercraft livery — records — equipment to be furnished.
Section 306.165 - Water patrol officer, powers, duties and jurisdiction of.
Section 306.170 - Accident reports to United States on request.
Section 306.180 - Motorboat fund in state treasury, source and use.
Section 306.185 - Water patrol division fund created, use of proceeds.
Section 306.190 - Applicability of regulations — local regulations — special local rules prohibited.
Section 306.200 - Peace officers to enforce.
Section 306.210 - Penalties for violations.
Section 306.215 - Inspections of boats, refusal of or interference with — penalty.
Section 306.217 - Scuba diver's marker, flag required — flag described — boats to avoid — penalty.
Section 306.220 - Personal flotation device, who must wear, when, exception, penalty.
Section 306.221 - Obstruction of traffic or access to boat docks — violation, penalty.
Section 306.250 - Definitions.
Section 306.260 - Boats not to discharge sewage, exception.
Section 306.270 - Marine toilets shall have suitable treatment device.
Section 306.280 - Inspection of boats.
Section 306.290 - Penalties for violations.
Section 306.300 - Definitions — marine sanitation device required — limitations — civil penalty.
Section 306.425 - Provisions of 306.400 to 306.430 exclusive — exceptions.
Section 306.440 - Owner's failure to indicate lienholder on title application, penalty.
Section 306.465 - Rules and regulations, authority to promulgate, procedure.
Section 306.530 - Registration of outboard motors.
Section 306.532 - Certificate of title to designate year of manufacture
Section 306.535 - Applications, contents, fee — not made within certain period, delinquency fee.
Section 306.540 - Registration by director of revenue, when.
Section 306.545 - Registration number — placement.
Section 306.555 - Inspection of outboard motors.
Section 306.565 - Fees — disposition.
Section 306.570 - Destruction of records.