TOP 5 CAUSES OF BOATING FATALITIES

More than 600 boaters died in recreational boating accidents, according to the 2019 Annual Recreational Statistics report published by the US Coast Guard. The report cites that 430 of the 613 deaths were drownings.

Be on the lookout for these events before they happen.

OOther deaths numbered 174 and included collisions, being struck by a vessel, and carbon-monoxide poisoning. This list is not the top five primary contributing factors that cause boating fatalities. (Those are alcohol, operator inexperience, operator inattention, improper lookout and excessive speed.) For any accident, there can be several causes. For instance, a drunk boater might collide with another boat that’s going too fast, with no one focused on the waters ahead and behind. Investigators might cite alcohol as the primary cause, but collision, improper lookout and excessive speed played parts.

These graphics show the leading types of accidents involving fatalities, along with the suggested preventative action boaters can take so that you and your crew, hopefully, never add to these grim statistics. We can bring these numbers down. Let’s do this!