Florida Boating Accident Statistics

Recreational boating is meant to be safe, fun way to enjoy the outdoors. The goal of the National Recreational Boating Safety Program is to create programs that promote the safety of boaters, minimizing the loss of life, personal injuries, and property damage. Through these programs, boaters are given the opportunity to learn more about being safe on the water, the rules you need to follow when you are navigating a boat, and the safety precautions to take that will help keep everyone on the boat safe. The National Recreational Boating Safety Program collects data to help determine if these strategies are an effective tool to prevent boating accidents in the State of Florida and the entire United States.

The NRBSP studies a number of factors that involve boating accidents. They track the number of educated voters and aim to grow this number every year. They work to provide solid information about boat safety to targeted audiences, and they study safety precautions taken by boaters that includes wearing life jackets, not operating a boat under the influence of alcohol. With their efforts, the overall safety of boaters on the water today has increased, and education for new boat drivers has improved.

National Boating Accidents Statistics

• In 2014, 610 people were killed as a result of a boating accident in the United States.

• 2,078 people in the United States were injured in a boating accident in 2014.

• 4064 boating accidents were reported in the United States in 2014.

• In 1997, there were 8047 boating accidents reported in the United States, resulting in 821 fatalities.

• 78% of fatal boating accident victims in 2014 died from drowning.

• 84% of the drowning victims were not wearing a life jacket.

• The top four reasons boaters got into accidents in 2014 included operator inexperience, not paying attention, going too fast, and drinking alcohol while driving a boat.

• 8 out of every 10 boaters that were killed were on a boat that was smaller than 21 feet long.

• The biggest contributing factor for all fatal boating access is excessive alcohol use.

• There were 12 children under the age of thirteen that were killed in boating accidents in 2014.

• Open motor boats have the highest rate of accidental deaths, with canoes and kayaks falling way behind.

• 23% of boating deaths were caused by drivers who had boat safety training.

Boating Statistics in Florida

• Most residents of the State of Florida are not required to take boat safety courses.

• Boaters 21 years old or younger, and those found guilty of a criminal boating violation must take a boating safety course.

• Boaters 14 years old and up can be certified to drive a motorized boat. An adult does not need to be on the boat to supervise a minor that is driving.

• In 2014, Florida reported 70 fatalities.

• In 2014, there were 8735,07 boats registered in the State of Florida.

• The most fatalities happened in the Month of July, with a total number of fatalities that month at 14.

• There was only one boating fatality in Florida both in the month of January and February.

• Boaters were killed most often in the hours of 10 am and 11:59 am.

• 22 people were killed in Florida because they fell overboard in 2014.

• 12 people were killed in Florida boating accidents because their boat capsized in 2014.

• 9 people died after a collision with a fixed object while driving a boat in Florida.

• 8 people died in 2014 as a result of an accident with another boat.

• The number of people who died because their boat became flooded was 6 in 2014.