FWC RELEASES 2004 BOATING STATISTICS
Floridas 2004 boating statistics are out, and again they are sobering.
The number of registered boats in Florida soared to 982,907 in 2004, compared to 978,225 in 2003. Boating fatalities jumped to 68 in 2004 from 64 in 2003. In fact, fatality numbers have increased slowly since 2000 when Florida had its lowest number of boating fatalities in many years.
Monroe County reported the highest number of accidents and injuries, 98 and 57 respectively. Pinellas County reported the highest number of fatalities with seven. Palm Beach County reported the highest property damage figures at $8.69 million, including one incident that accounted for $8 million of that total. The second-highest property damage occurred in Miami-Dade County with $1.2 million.
Even the good news wasnt really good. The statistic that recreational boating accidents dipped to 743 from 1,005 in 2003 reflects a change in the amount of damage an accident has to involve before it counts. In 2003, an accident had to involve $500 damage to be included in the statistics. They had to involve $2,000 in damage to make the cut in 2004 due to a change in the law.
Statistics indicate experienced boaters may fall prey to a false sense of security. In fact, more than half the boat operators involved in fatal boating accidents last year had more than 100 hours of boat operation experience.
The typical boating accident victim is not a child or adolescent. Hes a 22- to 50-year-old male with many hours of experience in operating a vessel. In most cases, if he sustained an injury, it was not life-threatening. If he did not survive the accident, most likely he drowned, because he thought it uncomfortable, unbecoming or unnecessary to wear a life jacket even if he couldnt swim. Drowning continued to be the leading cause of death in Floridas boating accidents (65 percent).
FWC boating safety officials and officers encourage boaters to consider life jackets to be similar to seatbelts when it comes to their life-saving potential. New types of inflatable life jackets especially the waist-pack variety -- are lightweight and hardly noticeable when worn.
It simply makes sense to wear one when youre on the water, said FWC Capt. Richard Moore. Its like the seatbelt in your car. If you arent wearing it when you find yourself a few seconds from a collision, you may have waited too late.
Also, excessive alcohol use continued to be the leading cause of boating fatalities in 2004. The effects of alcohol may be even greater on boat operators than vehicle operators because the combination of wave action, hot sun and physical exertion from being on the water compounds the influence alcohol consumption can have on people.
As with cars on land, its always best for boats to be operated by someone who hasnt been consuming alcoholic beverages, Moore said. Designated drivers can save lives on boats, just like they do on highways.
Moore said other suggestions for having safe experiences on Floridas waters include taking a boating safety course, filing a float plan with a friend or relative each time you take to the water and making sure you have the proper safety equipment in working order. For boat operators age 21 or younger, the boater safety course is a requirement not merely a suggestion for legally operating a vessel with 10 or more horsepower in Florida.
More information about boating accidents and boating safety is available online at MyFWC.com. Click on Boating.
To report resource or boating-under-the-influence law violations, call the FWCs Wildlife Alert hotline number 1-888-404-3922 or #FWC (*FWC in some areas) by cellular phone.
Floridas 2004 boating statistics are out, and again they are sobering.
The number of registered boats in Florida soared to 982,907 in 2004, compared to 978,225 in 2003. Boating fatalities jumped to 68 in 2004 from 64 in 2003. In fact, fatality numbers have increased slowly since 2000 when Florida had its lowest number of boating fatalities in many years.
Monroe County reported the highest number of accidents and injuries, 98 and 57 respectively. Pinellas County reported the highest number of fatalities with seven. Palm Beach County reported the highest property damage figures at $8.69 million, including one incident that accounted for $8 million of that total. The second-highest property damage occurred in Miami-Dade County with $1.2 million.
Even the good news wasnt really good. The statistic that recreational boating accidents dipped to 743 from 1,005 in 2003 reflects a change in the amount of damage an accident has to involve before it counts. In 2003, an accident had to involve $500 damage to be included in the statistics. They had to involve $2,000 in damage to make the cut in 2004 due to a change in the law.
Statistics indicate experienced boaters may fall prey to a false sense of security. In fact, more than half the boat operators involved in fatal boating accidents last year had more than 100 hours of boat operation experience.
The typical boating accident victim is not a child or adolescent. Hes a 22- to 50-year-old male with many hours of experience in operating a vessel. In most cases, if he sustained an injury, it was not life-threatening. If he did not survive the accident, most likely he drowned, because he thought it uncomfortable, unbecoming or unnecessary to wear a life jacket even if he couldnt swim. Drowning continued to be the leading cause of death in Floridas boating accidents (65 percent).
FWC boating safety officials and officers encourage boaters to consider life jackets to be similar to seatbelts when it comes to their life-saving potential. New types of inflatable life jackets especially the waist-pack variety -- are lightweight and hardly noticeable when worn.
It simply makes sense to wear one when youre on the water, said FWC Capt. Richard Moore. Its like the seatbelt in your car. If you arent wearing it when you find yourself a few seconds from a collision, you may have waited too late.
Also, excessive alcohol use continued to be the leading cause of boating fatalities in 2004. The effects of alcohol may be even greater on boat operators than vehicle operators because the combination of wave action, hot sun and physical exertion from being on the water compounds the influence alcohol consumption can have on people.
As with cars on land, its always best for boats to be operated by someone who hasnt been consuming alcoholic beverages, Moore said. Designated drivers can save lives on boats, just like they do on highways.
Moore said other suggestions for having safe experiences on Floridas waters include taking a boating safety course, filing a float plan with a friend or relative each time you take to the water and making sure you have the proper safety equipment in working order. For boat operators age 21 or younger, the boater safety course is a requirement not merely a suggestion for legally operating a vessel with 10 or more horsepower in Florida.
More information about boating accidents and boating safety is available online at MyFWC.com. Click on Boating.
To report resource or boating-under-the-influence law violations, call the FWCs Wildlife Alert hotline number 1-888-404-3922 or #FWC (*FWC in some areas) by cellular phone.
