State Lanyard Laws

(c) A person operating a personal watercraft on the waters of this state that does not have self circling capability, shall have a lanyard type engine cutoff switch and must attach the lanyard to the person, clothing, or personal flotation device as is appropriate.

Page 19 – Alabama Laws and Regulations Governing Operation and Registration of Vessels

Ignition Safety Switches: Most PWCs and powerboats come equipped by the manufacturer with an important device called an emergency ignition safety switch. This is a safety device that is designed to shut off the engine if the operator is thrown from the proper operating position. A lanyard is attached to the safety switch and the operator’s wrist or PFD. The safety switch shuts off the engine if the operator falls off the PWC or out of the powerboat. If your vessel does not come equipped with an ignition safety switch, you should have one installed.

Always wear your lanyard when operating a PWC. In many states, it is illegal to ride your PWC without attaching the lanyard properly between the switch and yourself.

Page 15 -The Handbook of Arkansas Boating Laws and Responsibilities, The Official Boating Handbook of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission

Lanyards or Engine Cut-off Devices: No person may operate any motor boat, including a personal watercraft or specialty prop-craft, equipped with an engine cut-off switch while the engine is running and the motorboat is underway, without verifying that the engine cut-off switch is operational and fully-functional and: (1) the engine cut-off switch link is properly attached to his or her person, clothing or worn PFD, as appropriate for the specific vessel; or (2) activating the wireless cut-off system. For the purposes of this section, “Engine cut-off switch link” means the lanyard or wireless cut-off device used to attach the motorboat operator to the engine cut-off switch installed on the motorboat. “Engine cut-off switch” means an operational emergency cut-off engine stop switch installed on a motorboat that attaches to a motorboat operator by an engine cut-off switch link.

Page 4 and 5 – Illinois Boat Registration and Safety Act Digest

Ignition Safety Switches: Most PWCs and powerboats come equipped by the manufacturer with an important device called an emergency ignition safety switch. This is a safety device that is designed to shut off the engine if the operator is thrown from the proper operating position.

A lanyard is attached to the safety switch and the operator’s wrist or life jacket. The safety switch shuts off the engine if the operator falls off the PWC or out of the powerboat. If your vessel does not come equipped with an ignition safety switch, you should have one installed.

If the PWC is equipped with a lanyard-type ignition safety switch, it must be maintained in an operable condition and must be attached to the person, clothing, or life jacket of the operator whenever the PWC is in use.

Page 47 – The Official Boating Handbook of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources

Failure To Use Ignition Safety Switch is an operator not attaching the lanyard of an ignition safety switch to his or her person, clothing, or life jacket if the vessel is equipped with a switch and is moving at greater than “no wake speed.” In addition, the owner of a vessel that is equipped with an ignition safety switch may not operate, or let another person operate, the vessel if the lanyard is missing, not connected, or not working correctly.

Page 44 -The Handbook of Nevada Boating Laws and Responsibilities, The Official Boating Handbook of the Nevada Department of Wildlife

The operator of any vessel equipped with a lanyard cut-off switch shall wear the safety switch lanyard at all times when the vessel is in operation.

Page 36 – New Jersey State Police Boating Safety Manual