Top 5 contributing factors leading to boating accidents

[Ronnie]

Per the August/September issue of Boat U.S. Magazine (my marine insurance company), page 14.

1. Operator inattenion
2. Improper lookout
3. Operator inexperience
4. Excessive speed
5. Alcohol use

Maybe I'm just reading too much into this but it seems like it all leads back to the captain / boat owner/operator. That is if you are involved in a boating accident it is either your or the other boater's, if any, fault.

 

[Julian]

I think the same can be said about any vehicle accident. Sure there are the odd product defects, like the cars the accelerate on their own, but I think these issues are a TINY percentage of the total---yet they get a disproportionate amount of focus from the media as they are much more interesting to report on than....."User error".

One of the top 10 often cited for cars is Hydroplaning/rain....but even that is "User error"....you can't hydroplane if you are going slow!

 

[Bill D]

I wonder if that is specific to collisions. I think that a case could be made that regardless of the circumstances, the only way a boat hits another boat (or non-moving object) is through captain / owner / operator.

I also wonder where my magazine is Boat U.S.

 

[Bruce]

I expected to see Alcohol Abuse much higher on the list. It seems to be a contributing factor to almost every accident on our local lakes.

 

[Gthunter5]

Night boating at speed + alcohol

 

[Englewoodcowboy]

In maritime law if you get ran into, per say rear-ended like in an automobile you are at fault. A captain is 100% responsible for his vessel 100% of the time wether someone else does not pay attention etc. There is no room for error according to maritime law. No matter what you have a responsible duty to avoid all accidents wether you are creating the scenario or not. It is a bit antiquated as a lot of the laws were written in the late 1800's and only accounted for slow vessels, not what we have today but they have not seen a need to update them so they stand as they are.

 

[rkluck]

Interesting information and I agree it looks like the operator is responsible. I think the inattention and alcohol are big contributors and then add in speed especially at night. I have started to run across people with attitudes similar to what I see with cars. They are too important to bother with anything other than themselves (this is my lake I will boat the way I want and just avoid me). Overall most boaters are great people and maybe there is alcohol involved as well I just can't tell. I have seen other people chase boats down to confront them about what they did. I was on my way once as well and my "better half" just told me it isn't worth it lets just go on and get out of here. Great advice! I love boating and now being at Hartwell it is even better. I try to drive my boat like I do my motorcycles defensively and look to always help others (we average at least one assistance per year on the lake).

 

[GTBRMC]

The best source, IMHO, for rec boating safety stats: The US Coast Guard's annual Recreational Boating Statistics report.
Loads of various stats, many safety related. No data set is perfect, but I would go with the USCG over any other sources I have seen for this purpose.
Appears this was the data source for the Boat US piece @Ronnie referenced.

2014 report: http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CB8QFjAAahUKEwj-ofOIpO_GAhXPOogKHTmeDzo&url=http://www.uscgboating.org/library/accident-statistics/Recreational-Boating-Statistics-2014.pdf&ei=V9WvVb6aOM_1oAS5vL7QAw&usg=AFQjCNFrVQgCetcp3KAhePH4qABIkelvAQ&bvm=bv.98476267,d.cGU

 

[rkluck]

Wow this is interesting and thanks for sharing. I didn't think collisions with other boats would be so high. I know several people that have run their boat into docks, rocks, etc. so I thought that would be highest. I would guess open boats would be highest since there are lots of them and they go faster than pontoons etc.