Boating Accident Causes

It is now March and spring break is fast approaching. People will be out and about on the water swimming, and boating. While boating is a great time in good weather, it is important to be informed on the statistics and safety precautions of boating. 

According to American Boating Association, “In 2016, the Coast Guard counted 4,463 accidents that involved 701 deaths, 2,903 injuries and approximately $49 million dollars of damage to property as a result of recreational boating accidents.”

There are many reasons for these different accidents and we thought it would be helpful to know what the main causes were in order to avoid them.

Here are the top Top 11 causes of boating accidents provided by the United States Coast Guard Boating Safety 

“1. Running out of gas

 2. Running aground

 3. Falling overboard

 4. Sinking

 5. Catching fire

 6. Breaking down

 7. Speeding at night 

 8. Lacking proper safety gear

 9. Ignoring weather

 10. Faling to maintain a lookout 

 11. [Boating under the influence]”

Stay tuned for our next blog on the top ten ways to avoid boating accidents.