Kiteboarding Craze Under Scrutiny
Kiteboarders Scaring Miami Beachgoers – Looking towards the City Council for Winds of Change
Miami and North Miami Beach Personal Injury Law Firm Serving Clients Injured in Water Sports Accident Claims in Miami.
Miami Beach: As if rip currents, stingrays, and jellyfish weren’t enough for swimmers and beachgoers in Miami to worry about, kiteboarders are adding additional concern to sunbathers and folks out for a coastline stroll. Today, swimmers, sunbathers, and pedestrians face an array of dangers that make being in or out of the water a target for personal injury. Speed boats, jet skis, surfers, and now kiteboarders, are placing bathers at risk of being hurt and even killed due to negligent water sports enthusiasts. Kiteboarding has become the most recent water sport to take hold of Miami Beach, with local residents and swimmers raising a ruckus because of the harmful threat that negligent kiteboarders are causing to beachgoers. Despite a failed attempt to put a ban on the sport in certain areas of Miami, the city council will debate this Wednesday a new set of rules to regulate kiteboarding and safeguard the well-being of beachgoers and swimmers in Miami. City commissioners will determine whether or not to prohibit kiteboarders from taking to the waves along certain parts of the Miami coastline. The new regulations will compel kiteboarders to apply for a permit that bears a Level 3 certification, which is granted by the IKQ (International Kiteboarding Organization). In order to qualify for level 3 status, kiteboarders would have to take eight hours of kiteboarding lessons under experienced kiteboarders and experts.
But what happens when kiteboarders take to the waves and how far from swimmers and sunbathers should they remain?
According to the city commissioners, the kiteboarders should keep a distance of 50 feet from the nearest swimmer and some 200 – 300 feet from the coastline. The aim of the measures is to prevent kiteboarding from causing personal injury to sunbathers, swimmers, as well as other beachgoers, such as the elderly and children. Kiteboarding accidents are nothing new to residents of Miami Beach since it’s not necessarily a matter of kites crashing down on people’s heads, but also the strings and equipment that kiteboarders leave lying in the sand, which can cause elderly people to be hurt by tripping over objects not in clear view as they stroll along the beach. The measures seem fair to swimmers, sunbathers, and beachgoers, but it may jeopardize the well-being of lifeguards, who would have to go 300 feet out to shore in order to rescue a kiteboarder in danger of drowning after flipping over or crashing into another water vessel, such as a jet ski, speed boat, surfer, etc.
Perazzo Law Shares Best insight into Kiteboarding in Miami and How to Avoid Personal Injury
A kiteboarding accident can result in personal injury and even wrongful death given the risks that kiteboarders fail to take into account. Firstly, kiteboards are powered by the wind, thus an unexpected gust can cause an inexperienced kiteboarder to fall or crash into any of the many objects found in a popular Miami waterway. The most common kiteboarding accidents result in contusions, abrasions, and lacerations. Head Trauma can result in long term, if not permanent, medical treatment and suffering. The parts of the body most affected are the lower extremities and the skull. Proper preparation and care is required when setting up the kite lines. Kiteboarders are recommended to follow certain guidelines when they prepare their kite before a launch. They also refrain from kiteboarding amid crowded waters and close to shorelines in order to avoid personal injury accidents. There are a number of skills involved in Kiteboarding, thus Perazzo Law recommends kitesurfers to receive qualified training and gain experience before taking to the waves and drifting off into open waters.
Perazzo Law Advises on Product Liability in Watersports and Boating Accidents
Many times, the operators of water vessels such as jet skis, speedboats and kiteboards are not entirely to blame for accidents occuring as a result of them. Manufacturers are required by law to provide tested and quality certified equipment, motors, life jackets, etc., to consumers that take to the ocean to do watersports. After a watersport accident that results in personal injury, victims should verify that the equipment used was free of manufacturing defects in the event of a compensation claim brought against them by a Miami personal injury lawyer.
The Perazzo Law Firm is a dedicated Miami Car accident lawyer serving individuals and families who have suffered injury due to the negligence of others. With a deep understanding of the emotional toll accidents can take, our firm is committed to helping those in need.
Our news blog is designed to keep you informed on the latest personal injury cases and legal developments. We aim to raise awareness of the injury and loss of life that occurs in our community by sharing information from publicly available sources. However, please note that the information shared in our blog has not been independently verified, and the photos depicted are not necessarily representative of the actual event. If you notice any inaccuracies, please bring them to our attention for correction.
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