August 29, 2019 — The number of U.S. recreational boating accidents and fatalities decreased slightly in 2018, but the factors leading to boating casualties and deaths remains disturbingly the same.
On Tuesday, the Coast Guard released its report on 2018 recreational boating statistics that indicate the holy trinity of the factors involved in accidents, casualties and fatalities are lack of life jackets, operator inattention and the use of alcohol.
Let’s begin with life jackets.
According to the Coast Guard’s 2018 statistics, drowning was the cause of 77 percent of the 633 boating deaths in 2018 where the cause of death was identified. That represents a 1 percent increase from 2017.