Injuries associated with PWCs were sustained most frequently by patients 20 years of age or older (49.4%). Of all injuries related to PWCs, 59.3% were to males. Many patients (29.6%) lost control of their PWC and hit against it or got caught up in the handle or a cord attached to the PWC (while riding or after falling off of the PWC). The most common type of injury was bruising, abrasion or inflammation, 29.6%. The body part most commonly injured was the head or neck, 33.7%. Injuries that required advice only or minor treatment accounted for 44.4% of patients, while 25.9% of patients needed medical follow-up after leaving the emergency department and 28.4% were admitted to hospital. The percentage of PWC injuries requiring hospitalization is approximately four times higher than the average for all injuries in the CHIRPP database.
