*The U.S. Coast Guard’s most recent boating-related accident statistics show:

• 710 fatalities — 3,474 injuries — nearly $44 million in property damage.
• 90 percent of drowning victims were not wearing life jackets.
• Alcohol was the leading contributing factor in approximately one-fifth of all boating fatalities.
• About 70 percent of all boating fatalities occurred on boats where the operator had not received boating safety instruction.
• The most reported type of accident was a collision with another vessel. However, capsizing and falls overboard are the most reported types of fatal accidents and accounted for the vast majority (59 percent) of all boating fatalities.
• Overall, operator inattention, carelessness/reckless operation, excessive speed and passenger/skier behavior are the leading contributing factors of all reported accidents.

Recreation boating accidents are tragic because the great majority of accidents are preventable!