Every year, a week is dedicated to safe boating on a national level in an effort to spread awareness about boat safety and help make sure the water is safe for all to enjoy. This year, national safe boating week was May 21st through the 27th. Unfortunately, earlier in May a 32-year-old Nevada man drowned when his boat capsized due to stormy conditions. As the summer kicks off, along with boating season, it is critical for everyone to focus on water safety. Below are several boating safety tips that should help you and your loved ones safe while still having a great summer.
Boating Statistics
Recreational water activities are tons of fun, providing lots of opportunities to enjoy the weather and time with family and loved ones. The feeling of the sun on your skin and the ocean or lake breeze in your hair is unparalleled. You can sit quietly on a boat and cast a line waiting for a great catch or you may prefer being pulled on a water ski, surfboard, or tube by the boat. And while boating activities can be loads of fun, it can also be dangerous and even fatal. According to the U.S. Coast Guard’s 2020 Recreational Boating Safety Statistics (RBSS):
- The U.S. Coast Guard recorded 5,265 accidents in 2020. They resulted in 3,191 injuries, 767 fatalities, and about $62.5 million worth of damage to property;
- The boating accident death rate increased by 25%t from 2019 to 2020 for every 100,000 registered recreational vessels;
- Only 12% of total boating accident deaths occurred on vessels where the vessel’s operator had received boating safety instruction;
- The top contributing factors to boating accidents include inexperience of the operator, excessive speed, improper boat lookout, operator inattention, and machine failure. The leading known contributing factor of boating accident deaths is alcohol use; and
- Drowning is the cause of death in 75% of all boating accident deaths, where 86% of victims were not wearing life jackets, and two-thirds of victims were considered good swimmers.
Boating Safety Tips
The purpose of National Safe Boating Week is to spread information across the country about boating safety. The National Safe Boating Council (NSBC) has initiated the Safe Boating Campaign and is sharing boating safety messages every day during this week. Some of these tips include:
- Look Out for Other Boaters: Be sure to always maintain a proper lookout while on the water and always maintain awareness of not just other boaters but the environment while on the water;
- Make Sure your Life Jacket Fits Properly: Everyone should wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket while boating and make sure that the life jacket being used fits properly;
- Remain Calm: Keeping yourself calm, even in an excitable environment, can help reduce the risk of you being involved in a boating accident.
Las Vegas Accident Attorneys
You and your loved ones should enjoy the summer weather while living in or visiting Las Vegas. If you or someone you know has been hurt in a boating accident, contact the experienced accident attorneys at H&P Law today. We will fight for the best outcome available to you.
