Boating Information
Enjoying the Fun of Safe Boating
Every year, the United States Coast Guard compiles information regarding boating accidents in the United States. These studies are very comprehensive and are based on accident reports filed by boaters who have been involved in boating accidents.
There are certain regulations that the USCG has set forth regarding the reporting of a boating accident. You must report the accident under the following conditions:
* A person dies
* A person is injured and requires medical treatment other than first aid
* The damage to a vessel is more than $2,000 or there is a total loss of a vessel
* A person disappears from a vessel and circumstances indicated there may be a death or an injury
It's a good idea to report the boating accident within the first forty-eight hours. Regulations differ as to the required time frame, but a responsible boater will take care of the situation as soon as possible.
In the year 2005, there were 267 fatalities directly attributed to boating accidents. Of those fatalities, seventy percent of them were due to drowning, and eight-seven of those who drowned did so because they were not wearing their life jackets.
The most reported boating accidents were the result of collisions with another vessel. However, capsizing and falls overboard were also among those most reported and contributed also to the drowning fatalities overall.
Overall, carelessness, reckless driving, operator inattention, excessive speed, and operator inexperience were the most prevalent contributing factors to boating accidents. That is why the Coast Guard highly recommends all boaters take a certified boating safety class as well as qualified boating instruction classes.
The most common types of boats involved in boating accidents were open watercraft, personal watercrafts (Jet Skis), and cabin motorboats. There was a marked increase also in sailing accidents, houseboats, and fishing boats.
Alcohol was also shown to be a huge contributing factor in boating accidents. Impaired captains were shown to have a larger incidence of the possibility of accidents because of lack of judgment, inattention, and reckless behavior. In fact, one-fourth of all boating accidents could be directly linked to the consumption of alcohol by the driver.
Boating accidents can be prevented rather easily if more people would take boating safety classes and receive proper boating instruction. Because of the various factors that are involved in boating, it can be dangerous if you don't know what you are doing. If you want to be a responsible boater, they way to prevent boating accidents is to stop them before they start. Get educated and then put that information to use - all the time!
| Boating accidents, fatalities up in Fla. from last year - Bay News 9 Sat, 21 Aug 2010 23:17:00 GMT Officials are calling it a dangerous and deadly year for boaters after several accidents have resulted in fatalities this year. The latest boating fatality occurred when commercial crabber Phillip ... | ||
| 50 Boating Deaths In Florida So Far This Year - click orlando Fri, 20 Aug 2010 01:42:00 GMT TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- State wildlife officials aid 50 people have died in boating accidents so far this year -- an increase of four from the same time last year. Capt. Carol Keyser of the Florida Fish and ... | ||
| Alcohol involved in many Massachusetts boating accidents - Patriot Ledger Sat, 21 Aug 2010 15:10:00 GMT The majority of boating accidents in Massachusetts waters during the past four years have involved alcohol or operator error, state officials say. Between 2006 and last year there were 281 boating accidents in ... | ||
| Rower presumed dead in boating accident on Lake Stevens - msnbc.com Fri, 20 Aug 2010 15:40:00 GMT Accidents do happen in every sport there is. It's just hard to believe it happened here in Lake Stevens, close to home, effecting my friends," said Jane Jacobsen, a friend of the rowers. Three teens in the ski boat ... | ||
| Officials say boating accidents claim 50 lives so far this year - Daytona Beach News-Journal Fri, 20 Aug 2010 05:10:00 GMT State wildlife officials say 50 people have died in boating accidents so far this year, including five in waters near Ponce de Leon Inlet. The total number of deaths statewide is up four from this time ... |