Top Common Causes of Boating Accidents

The United States Coast Guard maintains a statistical database that breaks down the number and type of accidents in any given year. The major type of water-related boating accident is a collision between two boats, with 1237 accidents, 60 deaths, 856 injuries in 2008. Sinking, flooding or swamping are also common forms of accidents, with 475 accidents in the same year, with 89 deaths and 179 injuries. Falls overboard accounted for 431 accidents, 188 deaths and 257 injuries; and skier issues caused 383 accidents, 10 deaths and 397 injuries.

Motorboats with open cockpits had the highest number of casualties with 353 deaths and 1669 injuries. Personal watercraft was second, with 45 deaths and 920 injuries. The causes of death were drowning and trauma, which were the bulk of the causes of injury and death at almost 90 percent. Of that 90 percent, only one in ten was wearing an approved flotation device.

What follows below is a compilation of the top five causes of water-related accidents from the same period studied – 2008 — with observations of how they are caused and how they may be corrected.

Careless or reckless operation is accountable for 492 accidents, 32 deaths and 390 injuries. Boating is a leisure activity, so boaters somehow believe safety is something that occurs during regular working hours and not on the weekends or on vacation. Nothing could be further from the truth. A watercraft, like a car or truck, is a weapon in the irresponsible hands. Boaters should realize that lucid, non-impaired operation is the only way to keep passengers safe.

Operator inattention caused 488 accidents, 28 deaths and 329 injuries. Like the above item, inattention is potentially deadly. Because the operator wants to relax and may be in a relaxing situation, it doesn’t change the fact that the situation is potentially dangerous and needs diligent control.

No proper spotter or lookout was responsible for 430 accidents, 24 deaths and 331 injuries. Again, same basic issue: lack of diligence in an apparent leisure situation. The spotter needs the same sense of responsibility the pilot has; he is the second set of eyes, should the pilot miss a hazard. If the spotter, in the case of a skiing accident, or a lookout in the case of mooring the boat becomes inattentive, accidents can and do occur.

Operator inexperience was the biggest factor in 429 accidents, 40 deaths and 315 injuries. As attentive as one can be, inexperience is a major factor in watercraft accidents. Most feel they will simply learn on the water. But with the preponderance of evidence suggesting it’s a huge responsibility, every effort should be made to take training course before leaving shore to ensure a safe outing.

Passenger recklessness was the cause of 383 accidents, 57 deaths and 335 injuries. Finally, those aboard the watercraft put themselves in harm’s way by being reckless while on the vessel. Jumping off while at speed, climbing where they shouldn’t, overloading, are all problems that may be prohibited by the pilot, but which are still undertaken by passengers. As a passenger, stay seated and use flotation devises; as the pilot of the craft, keep order.

There are other accidents – such as grounding, being struck by a propeller, hitting a submerged object or grounding – but all of them will be mitigated by following common safety rules.

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