CommunityEditor
08-12-2009, 08:50 PM
The Coast Guard is reporting a 3.5 percent increase in recreational boating fatalities for 2008 in its new publication of boating safety statistics, which came out Wednesday.
Last year, the Coast Guard recorded 709 deaths, reversing a downward trend. From 2006 to 2007, fatalities dropped from 710 to 685.
In 2008, there were 3,331 injuries and about $54 million in property damage. In 2007, there were 3,673 injuries and about $53 million in property damage.
The top five contributing factors to recreational boating accidents are: operator inattention; careless or reckless operation; no proper lookout; operator inexperience; and passenger or skier behavior, according to the Coast Guard report.
Alcohol consumption continues to be of major concern in fatal boating accidents, and it is listed as the leading contributing factor in 17 percent of the deaths.
Rear Adm. Kevin Cook, the Coast Guard’s director of prevention policy, emphasized the importance of boating education — only 10 percent of deaths occurred on boats where the operator had received boating safety education.
“This statistic indicates that boaters who have taken a boating safety course are less likely to be involved in an accident,” Cook said in a statement.
Two-thirds of all fatal boating accident victims drowned; of those, 90 percent were not wearing a life jacket, he said.
“The Coast Guard urges all boaters, whether as an operator or passenger, to take a boating safety course and to always wear your life jacket,” Cook said.
Article: http://www.militarytimes.com/forum/newthread.php?do=newthread&f=50
Year-by-Year Statistics: http://www.uscgboating.org/statistics/accident_stats.htm
Last year, the Coast Guard recorded 709 deaths, reversing a downward trend. From 2006 to 2007, fatalities dropped from 710 to 685.
In 2008, there were 3,331 injuries and about $54 million in property damage. In 2007, there were 3,673 injuries and about $53 million in property damage.
The top five contributing factors to recreational boating accidents are: operator inattention; careless or reckless operation; no proper lookout; operator inexperience; and passenger or skier behavior, according to the Coast Guard report.
Alcohol consumption continues to be of major concern in fatal boating accidents, and it is listed as the leading contributing factor in 17 percent of the deaths.
Rear Adm. Kevin Cook, the Coast Guard’s director of prevention policy, emphasized the importance of boating education — only 10 percent of deaths occurred on boats where the operator had received boating safety education.
“This statistic indicates that boaters who have taken a boating safety course are less likely to be involved in an accident,” Cook said in a statement.
Two-thirds of all fatal boating accident victims drowned; of those, 90 percent were not wearing a life jacket, he said.
“The Coast Guard urges all boaters, whether as an operator or passenger, to take a boating safety course and to always wear your life jacket,” Cook said.
Article: http://www.militarytimes.com/forum/newthread.php?do=newthread&f=50
Year-by-Year Statistics: http://www.uscgboating.org/statistics/accident_stats.htm