Common Causes of Boating Accidents

Boating accidents are often preventable. It’s important to be responsible while enjoying your boat, but you can never control the actions of others on the water. Here, we’ll examine some of the common causes of recreational boating accidents, as well as the prevalence and damage caused by these crashes. If you suffered injuries, reach out to our injury law firm for help right away.

Boating Accident Statistics

Before getting into the causes of boating crashes, here are some crash statistics:

In 2020, the Coast Guard reported 5,265 recreational boat accidents.
767 people died in boating accidents in the US in 2020.
There were 3,191 injuries caused by boating accidents in 2020 nationwide.
$62.5 million dollars worth of property damage was caused by 2020 boating accidents.
Just 12% of boating accident fatalities occurred on watercraft where the driver had earned a “boating safety education certificate.”
There were 6.5 deaths per 100,000 registered recreational boats, jet skis, and other non-commercial watercraft in 2020, a 25% increase from the previous year.
Of the boating accident fatalities, 3/4 drowned.
Almost 90% of the people who drowned in boating accidents did not have life jackets on.
Alcohol is the #1 cause of boating accident fatalities.
80% of boaters who drowned were in smaller watercraft under 20 feet long.

Additionally, the top 5 reasons for boat accidents are:

Crashing into another boat (1379 incidents, 66 deaths, 831 injuries)
Taking on water (589 incidents, 84 deaths, 128 injuries)
Crashing into a fixed object like a dock (542 incidents, 62 deaths, 389 injuries)
Running ashore/grounding (484 incidents, 14 deaths, 255 injuries)
Going overboard (335 incidents, 181 deaths, 161 injuries)

Inexperienced Boat Operators

A common denominator for these causes of boat accidents is an inexperienced driver. There are a lot of technical things to know about handling and maneuvering a boat. Many people buy boats without having any idea that there are complicated knots they must learn or how to safely load and unload passengers with and without a dock. You wouldn’t think you’re safely qualified to drive a car just because you’ve seen others do it, but, with boats, that logic seems to carry. Inexperienced boat operators are MORE dangerous than inexperienced car drivers.

Drunk Boating

California has boating laws that prohibit driving a vessel under the influence, just like a car. The acceptable blood-alcohol level is 0.08% in both cases. Likewise, driving while impaired by prescription drugs or marijuana is just as illegal in a boat as it is in a car. Again, alcohol is the #1 culprit for boating accidents, regardless of whether the drunk driver hit another boat, ran aground, or crashed into a rock.

Speeding

As you can already see, these first three reasons all overlap. Inexperienced operators might not appreciate the danger of speeding in a boat. Likewise, an operator may be speeding because they are drunk. Regardless, always follow posted speed limits in marinas, don’t make a wake, and think safety first. It’s not hard to lose control of a speeding boat. Again, it might seem like driving a car, but it’s not.

Failing to Look Out

You are certainly familiar with the story of the Titanic. If a world-class vessel like the Titanic can sink to the bottom of the ocean because a look-out wasn’t doing a good job, please don’t think your boat is any less vulnerable. Airplanes have air traffic controllers; boats have look-outs. Without a look-out doing their job on board, you’re driving just as blind as an airplane without air traffic control.

Mechanical Failures

Whether your battery dies or you have electrical issues, proper boat maintenance (which only comes from adequate knowledge) is crucial. Boats can and do catch on fire because operators didn’t notice a gas film on the water or because their cell battery is flooded. Always sniff the bilge for gas fumes. Never start a marine engine without putting on the bilge blower for a few minutes. Keep in mind that these problems (no lights because your electrical is shot, for instance) make it very challenging to be seen at night.

Lack of Proper Safety Gear & Equipment

Life vests save lives, yes, but so do battery-powered flashlights, spare gas can full of fuel, flares, fire extinguishers, and a bunch of other un-sexy stuff that might not go with a “river party.” Owning and properly maintaining a boat can get costly quickly, but don’t skimp on the safety gear.

If the water is 50 degrees or colder, you will lose basic control of your submerged muscles within a minute or two. Once your muscles lock up, how will you tread water? Finally, it’s not enough to just have a few life jackets on board. You must have the right sizes. A small child strapped into an adult-sized life vest will actually have their head forced underwater due to the improper fit. Your life or someone else’s may depend on it.

Dangerous Weather

Even on a cloudless, sunny day, there can be a strong riptide or unexpected winds. Always check not just the weather but the boating conditions (currents, tides) before deciding to embark. You need to continually monitor the weather during your outing as well. Things can change quickly. Install a boating weather/conditions app with live radar on your smartphone (but do consider whether you’ll have cell reception wherever it is that you’re going. Don’t leave shore if conditions are questionable.

Running Out of Fuel

In a boat, running out of fuel—especially if any of these other items are factors—can be deadly. Whether you forgot or were thrown off course for some reason, running out of gas where there are no “corner gas stations” is a very real threat! Always make sure to give yourself a 10-20% “buffer” in your fuel planning.

Going Overboard

Again, wear a properly-fitting life vest at all times. Remember, if you hit your head going overboard, that life vest is literally the difference between living or dying. Likewise, if you are alone on your boat, chasing your boat down to get back on board is virtually impossible (unless you have your anchor down). It’s sadly not uncommon for driverless boats to start circling, which means you can get run over by your own boat.

Contact a California Boating Accident Attorney

If you were injured because of another boater’s negligence, contact the Cartwright Law Firm today. We are passionate and experienced advocates for boating accident victims.

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