National Safe Boating Week, May 24

The Coast Guard released its 2015 Recreational Boating Statistics, ahead of National Safe Boating Week beginning Saturday, which shows a decrease in recreational boating accidents, but a rise in recreation boating fatalities in the Coast Guard 13th District, which covers the states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana. From 2014 to 2015, accidents decreased from 240 to 225, but fatalities rose from 42 to 63 with Washington having the most recreational boating deaths of the four states at 29. Of the 63 fatalities, 38 of the victims were not wearing lifejackets. The report also shows that in 2015: The majority of boating accidents, deaths and injuries occurred in lakes, ponds and man- made water resources namely reservoirs and dams. Other bodies of water like bays, inlets, harbors and marinas were next. The majority of recreational boating accidents occurred on Saturday and Sunday between the hours of 4:30 and 6:30 p.m. Alcohol was the leading known contributing factor in fatal boating accidents within the Coast Guard’s 13th District with a total of 22 accidents, 11 deaths and 20 injuries. Operator inattention, operator inexperience, improper lookout, machinery failure and excessive speed ranked as the top five primary contributing factors in accidents. “We are fortunate to have some of the most pristine natural resources right in our own back yard,” said Daniel Shipman, recreational boating safety program manager, Coast Guard 13th District. “Use sound judgment and follow safe boating and water safety practices when you’re on the water. Even though it is warm outside the waters are cold and unforgiving.” Nationwide where the cause of death was known, 76 percent of fatal boating accident victims drowned; of those drowning victims, 85 percent were not wearing a life jacket. Where boating instruction was known, 71 percent of deaths occurred on vessels where the operator had not received boating safety instruction. The most common types of vessels involved in reported accidents were open motorboats between 16 and 26-feet in length, and the vessel types with the highest number of fatalities were on open motorboats, kayaks and canoes. The Coast Guard reminds all boaters to boat responsibly while on the water: wear a life jacket, take a boating safety course, attach your engine cut-off switch, get a free vessel safety check and avoid alcohol or other impairing substance consumption. The Coast Guard also encourages the use of the safe boating application available on most smart phones. The phone application can help boaters request safe boating information, request safety checks, file a float plan, review navigation rules, report hazards or pollution and request emergency situation. Although the safe boating application is a great tool, it is still recommended to have a marine VHF-FM radio installed on your boat or carry a handheld version. Calling on VHF-FM radio is the most reliable way to call for help in case of an emergency. To view the 2015 Recreational Boating Statistics, go to http://uscgboating.org/library/accident-statistics/Recreational-Boating-Statistics-2015.pdf. For more information on boating responsibly, go to http://www.uscgboating.org.