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2004, States and jurisdictions reported a total of 12,781,476 registered
recreational boats compared to 12,794,616 in 2003. The 4,904 boating accidents
reported in 2004 resulted in 676 fatalities, 3,363 injuries, and $35,038,306 in property
damage.
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Approximately seventy percent of all fatal boating accident victims drowned
(484 out of 676). Approximately 90 percent of the victims who drowned were not
wearing their personal flotation device (PFD or lifejacket). Overall, fatal accident
data show approximately 431 lives could have been saved last year if boaters had
worn their lifejackets.
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The most reported type of accident was a collision with another vessel. However,
capsizing and falls overboard are the most reported types of fatal accidents and
accounted for over half (57%) of all boating fatalities. Boat operators need to pay
attention to the capacity label on their boat and be careful not to overload small boats
(less than 16 feet) with passengers and/or gear.
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Overall, carelessness/reckless operation, operator inattention, operator
inexperience, and excessive speed are the leading contributing factors of all reported
accidents.
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The most common types of boats involved in reported accidents were open
motorboats (42%), personal watercraft (PWC) (25%) and cabin motorboats (15%).
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Increases were observed in the number of reported fatalities involving pontoon boats
(27) and canoes and kayaks (98) from 2003. A decrease was observed in the number
of fatalities involving cabin motorboats (42) from the number of fatalities reported in
2003.
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The number of reported injuries involving PWC use continued along a downward
trend and has decreased every year since 1996.
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Fourteen (14) children age 12 and under lost their lives while boating in 2004
compared to 27 children in 2003.
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Approximately 70% of all reported fatalities occurred on boats where the operator
had not received boating safety instruction.
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Alcohol was involved in approximately one-third of all boating fatalities in 2004.
