If you had to put a 11 year old on a dirt bike, 4 wheeler, go cart, street bike, car, skateboard or jetski. Which one would pick? its funny how them make kid dirt bikes and 4 wheelers where they need no training and if they fall off they are landing on god knows what. Maybe they should take a hard look at the people who puts kids on these high HP machines. Sure I have a js300 that kids ride but I take them to a place where there ate no boats and i ride along side them with my sxr.
not that i am backing the beliefs or views of FOX (i'm not) but in the respect of kids and quads (ATV's) there are federal restricts that came about after the ATC (3 wheeler days) in that if a kid under 6 is riding a 50 c.c. quad it's a violation, and if a kid under age 12 is on a quad larger than 90 c.c. it's a violation, big fine etc.
i'm not saying that quads are safer than skis. i plan to put my 6 y.o. on a superjet this summer, but i'm saying it's regulated. A dealer legally can not sell a family a quad for their kid if they know the kid doesn't meet the age requirements. The penalty for the dealer could be loss of that brand of products (kawi, yam, polaris etc.) I use to work at a dealership and this was not a slap on the wrist offense but a very serious issue.
Dirt bikes have no age restriction, i assume the mind set is that, if they can't hold the bike up at a stop, parents probably won't put them on it, which means that for the most part they won't be riding a bike beyond their means. (assuming responsible parents are invovled {BIG IF})
Watercraft is regulated as well, but this is a state restriction not a federal restriction. in CA a driver must be 16yo or be with someone 25yo or older, in AZ driver must be at least 12.
That being said, i've been on some type of watercraft since age 10, and can say with reletive certainty that children on watercraft are less risky than either A: stupid adults, or B: alcohol related issues.
Without reading the article, it is interesting that FOX would be trying to push legislation/regulation on something already regulated.
my $.04
rant over
