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Conn. Lawmakers Push To Increase Legal Age To Operate Boat Following Greenwich Tragedy

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The recent Greenwich boating tragedy has lawmakers in Connecticut wondering if the legal age for driving a powerboat should be raised.

Children as young as 12 are legally able to be behind the wheel of a motorboat as long as they are armed with a safe boating certificate, WCBS 880's Connecticut Bureau Chief Fran Schneidau reported.

Conn. Lawmakers Push To Increase Legal Age To Operate Boat

But State Rep. Tony Wong, a member of the Public Safety Committee, is among lawmakers who are looking to raise the age.

"A 12-year-old is not developed and responsible enough to be operating a motorized powerboat," Wong said.

State Rep. Steve Dargan, who co-chairs the Public Safety Committee, says he believes the legal age should be more in line with the age of eligibility to drive a car.

"I personally feel that age is too young to operate that sort of equipment," Dargan said.

He says lawmakers will be looking to revise the law once they reconvene at the capital.

The push to revise the age comes after Greenwich High School junior Emily Fedorko was struck by the propeller of a boat towing her and another teen who were tubing. Police said it appeared the boat struck the girls after they fell off the tube and the boat driver turned around to get them.

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