Table 5-3 Personal Flotation Devices (PFDs) and Drownings in Recreational Boating Accidents, 2006
Table 5-3
Personal Flotation Devices (PFDs) and Drownings in Recreational Boating Accidents, 2006
| Cause of death | PFD Status | Total Fatalities | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Worn | Not Worn | ||
| Carbon Monoxide Poisoning | 0 | 12 | 12 |
| Drowning | 51 | 423 | 474 |
| Hypothermia | 6 | 9 | 15 |
| Other | 11 | 20 | 31 |
| Cardiac | 5 | 13 | 18 |
| Trauma | 49 | 81 | 130 |
| Unknown | 4 | 26 | 30 |
| Total | 126 | 584 | 710 |
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Coast Guard, Boating Statistics, 2006; available at: http://www.uscgboating.org as of Mar. 24, 2008.
- Approximately 70% of all fatal boating accident victims drowned (474 out of 692). Moreover, 89% of the victims who drowned were not wearing their personal flotation device (PFD or lifejacket), up from 86% in 2000 and 88% in 2005.