Figure 4-3 Causes of Recreational Boating Accidents-1999
Figure 4-3
Causes of Recreational Boating Accidents-1999
Excel | CSV | Graphic Version
| Causes | Accidents | |
|---|---|---|
| Number | Percent | |
| Human factors | 5,276 | 67% |
| Environment | 1,025 | 13% |
| Machinery | 484 | 6% |
| Unknown | 460 | 6% |
| Other | 413 | 5% |
| Equipment | 194 | 2% |
| Hull failure | 79 | 1% |
| Total | 7,931 | |
NOTES: Most boating accidents involved human factors. Human factors include accidents during loading of passengers or gear and operation of the vessel. Operator inattention and operator inexperience were the top 2 causes of accidents due to the operation of the vessel. Alcohol is a major factor in boating accidents.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Transportation, U.S. Coast Guard, Office of Boating Safety, Boating Statistics – 2000, available at http://www.uscgboating.org/saf/pdf/boating_statistics_2000.pdf.
- Nearly 70 percent of all reported accidents involve factors that are under the control of the boat operator.
- Primary causes of accidents are operator inattention, careless or reckless operation, operator inexperience, operating at an unsafe speed, and no proper lookout.
- Eighty-four percent of all boating fatalities occurred on boats where the operator had not completed a boating safety education course.