Reportable Boating Accidents photo detail Cover Photo: (Courtesy of FWC) On January 0, 2016, at approximately 7:15 am, a 7 open motorboat was travelling east cruising at approximately 25 mph with a total of three people onboard. The operator was behind the helm looking down at a chart. One occupant was standing next to him and the other was on the stern, rigging bait fish. None of them were looking in the direction the vessel was traveling. A 5 cabin motorboat was idling, bow facing north, while setting up kites for the purpose of fishing. A few seconds before impact, the operator of the cabin boat, observed the other vessel heading for the port side of his vessel. He was able to reverse his vessel a few feet before impact. The open motorboat impacted the cabin boat s port side, penetrating the vessel above the water line. One occupant was below deck in the cabin and missed being struck by the penetrating vessel's bow and anchor by just a few feet. No serious injuries were sustained. Both vessels remained operable after the accident and were able to safely return to land.
2016 VESSEL REGISTRATION AND ACCIDENTS BY COUNTY County Recreational Vessels Total Vessels Reportable Accidents Fatalities Injuries Property Damage Rank Accident Rate* Alachua 10,252 10,50 0 0 0 $0 5 0 Baker 2,6 2,75 0 0 0 $0 5 0 Bay 17,20 18,0 1 2 11 $8,150 17 1:1,88 Bradford 2,05 2,21 0 0 0 $0 0 0 Brevard 2,71, 27 0 21 $18,50 8 1:1,25 Broward 2,77,212 8 1 1 $1,5,02 6 1:1,16 Calhoun 1,58 1,620 0 0 0 $0 5 0 Charlotte 21,6 22,10 18 11 $7,50 10 1:1,2 Citrus 15,825 16, 1 2 6 $55,65 16 1:1,265 Clay 12,0 12,616 6 0 7 $11,000 28 1:2,10 Collier 21,816 22,86 1 0 20 $1,17,700 7 1:77 Columbia,15,55 0 0 0 $0 5 0 Desoto 2,268 2,50 2 0 $2,000 2 1:1,175 Dixie 2,266 2,568 2 1 1 $100 1:1,28 Duval 26,060 26,76 18 0 $106,700 11 1:1,87 Escambia 15,115 15,50 5 1 2 $62,500 2 1:,101 Flagler 5,08 5,512 0 0 0 $0 5 0 Franklin 2,68,265 0 5 $1,500 1:816 Gadsden 2,257 2,20 0 0 0 $0 5 0 Gilchrist 1,705 1,70 0 0 0 $0 5 0 Glades 1,22 1,25 2 2 $5,500 1:15 Gulf 2,780,086 0 $22,700 5 1:772 Hamilton 881 85 0 0 0 $0 5 0 Hardee 1,62 1,650 0 0 0 $0 5 0 Hendry 2,856 2,71 1 0 0 $12,000 50 1:2,71 Hernando,1,627 7 1 $17,600 25 1:1,75 Highlands 8,8 8,86 1 0 0 $,000 7 1:8,86 Hillsborough,10 0,782 20 $15,000 1:2,0 Holmes 2,0 2,067 0 0 0 $0 5 0 Indian River 10,56 10,800 2 6 $11,500 2 1:1,200 Jackson,61,726 2 1 1 $1,50 1 1:2,6 Jefferson 1,256 1,277 0 0 0 $0 5 0 Lafayette 05 10 1 0 1 $0 1:10 Lake 20,801 21,071 11 6 $8,150 20 1:1,16 Lee 5,75 7,18 6 2 $1,17,000 5 1:1,210 Leon 12,726 12,06 0 0 0 $0 5 0 Levy,0,0 6 1 5 $25,700 27 1:75
County 2016 VESSEL REGISTRATION AND ACCIDENTS BY COUNTY Recreational Vessels Total Vessels Reportable Accidents Fatalities Injuries Property Damage Rank Accident Rate* Liberty 1,07 1,0 0 0 0 $0 5 0 Madison 1,167 1,17 0 0 0 $0 5 0 Manatee 17,662 18,527 11 7 $62,00 21 1:1,68 Marion 18,561 18,828 1 1 1 $0 8 1:18,828 Martin 16,778 17,58 17 2 $16,86 12 1:1,02 Miami-Dade 6,670 66,22 67 7 7 $8,000 2 1:1 Monroe 26,2 2,106 105 52 $1,061,2 1 1:277 Nassau 6,122 6,2 1 1 0 $0 5 1:6,2 Okaloosa 17,0 18,58 1 15 $21,500 15 1:1,27 Okeechobee,81 5,000 2 0 2 $11,500 1:2,500 Orange 26,5 26,78 10 2 8 $72,500 22 1:2,67 Osceola 7,11 8,055 1 0 1 $0 6 1:8,055 Palm Beach 6, 7,750 62 1 $1,008,62 1:60 Pasco 2,6 2,16 8 1 $8,500 2 1:,017 Pinellas 8,02,75 2 7 $7,650 1:1,11 Polk 28,062 28,562 0 $8,000 1 1:7,11 Putnam 7,11 7,611 5 1 2 $7,500 0 1:1,522 Santa Rosa 1,150 1, 0 2 $7,200 6 1:,81 Sarasota 21,66 22,28 1 0 10 $1,168,500 1 1:1,55 Seminole 17,81 18,281 7 0 6 $12,700 26 1:2,611 St. Johns 1,015 1,7 12 1 11 $2,600 18 1:1,206 St. Lucie 12,76 12,50 12 1 6 $50,800 1 1:1,07 Sumter,16,71 2 0 1 $5,000 1:2,26 Suwannee 2,76 2,762 2 0 2 $,000 0 1:1,81 Taylor,577,71 0 1 $21,00 7 1:1,27 Union 0 8 1 1 0 $0 52 1:8 Volusia 26,57 27,506 17 2 7 $77,000 1 1:1,618 Wakulla,770 5,07 2 0 1 $5,000 8 1:2,57 Walton 5,522 5,685 1 6 $,500 2 1:1,21 Washington 2,80 2,0 1 0 1 $1,200 51 1:2,0 DHSMV,25,6 TOTAL 8,25 1,50 71 67 21 $10,052,5 1:1,05 *Accident Rate = # of Registered Vessels # of Accidents Those counties in bold print represent the top eleven counties. DHSMV numbers represent registrations issued at main office instead of at the county level.
TOP ELEVEN COUNTIES Duval 18 Charlotte 18 Hillsborough 20 Brevard 27 Collier 1 Broward 8 Lee Pinellas Palm Beach 62 Miami-Dade 67 Monroe 105 10 20 0 0 50 60 70 80 0 100 110 *Eleven counties shown due to tie for tenth place INVESTIGATING AGENCY ACCIDENTS BY MONTH POLICE 5, 5% SELF-REPORT 2, Less than 1% 120 100 SHERIFF 6, % 80 6 60 70 66 75 68 5 55 FWC 61, 86% 0 20 28 1 0 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec *71 total accidents 5
TIME OF DAY 0:00-01:5 am 1 2:00-:5 am :00-5:5 am 6:00-7:5 am 12 1 15 8:00-:5 am 1 10:00-11:5 am 7 12:00-1:5 pm 128 2:00-:5 pm 16 :00-5:5 pm 11 6:00-7:5 pm 76 8:00-:5 pm 10:00-11:5 pm 25 0 20 0 60 80 100 120 10 *71 total accidents ACCIDENT SITE LOCATION RESTRICTED AREA ACCIDENTS 1 Manatee idle speed Marsh/swamp Lake/pond 8 50 Manatee slow speed 1 Port/harbor 51 1 Inlet/pass Canal/cut 72 MPH limit 1 River/creek 126 Idle speed 51 Bay/sound 156 Ocean/gulf 157 Slow speed 78 0 0 80 120 160 0 10 20 0 0 50 60 70 80 *15 total accidents in restricted areas 6
PRIMARY TYPE OF ACCIDENT Starting engine Skier hit object Struck by boat (person) Collision floating object/person Skier mishap/fall Struck by skeg/prop Fire/explosion (fuel) Fall in boat Struck underwater object Vessel wake damage Fall on PWC Fire/explosion (non-fuel) Capsizing Grounding Falls overboard Flooding/swamping Collision with fixed object Collision with vessel 1 5 10 15 16 17 1 22 25 25 5 5 65 17 181 0 20 0 60 80 100 120 10 160 180 200 *71 accidents involving 1 vessels (Based on first harmful event as determined by the state reviewing authority.) SECONDARY TYPE OF ACCIDENT Collision with floating object/person Fire/explosion (fuel) Grounding Struck by skeg/prop Collision with vessel Fall on PWC Flooding (swamping) Sinking Collision with fixed object Struck by boat (person) Capsizing Fall in boat Falls overboard 1 10 1 1 16 22 2 27 2 50 5 12 0 10 20 0 0 50 60 70 80 0 100 110 120 10 *10 of the 71 accidents did not have a secondary type of accident 7
OPERATION AT TIME OF ACCIDENT Being towed Towing a boat Launching/loading Rowing/paddling Sailing Wake/surf jumping At anchor Docking/undocking Changing speed Changing direction Drifting Docked (moored) Cruising 5 5 6 7 11 12 1 5 61 66 71 72 122 5 0 0 80 120 160 200 20 280 20 60 00 0 80 *1 vessels ACTIVITY AT TIME OF ACCIDENT Skiing (skurfing, etc.) Tournament fishing Scuba diving Hunting Racing (sanctioned) Making repairs Fueling Starting engine Boat pulling tube Swimming/snorkling Commercial purpose Recreational fishing Recreational cruising 1 1 5 6 8 1 18 108 156 61 0 100 200 00 00 500 600 *1 vessels 8
VESSEL COUNT IN REPORTABLE ACCIDENTS 800 700 600 500 00 00 200 100 0 1 Vessel 77 2 Vessels 206 + Vessels 1 TOTAL NUMBER OF ACCIDENTS 60 50 0 0 20 10 0 1 Vessel 52 FATAL ACCIDENTS *71 total accidents involving 1 vessels *56 fatal accidents involving 60 vessels 2 Vessels 180 160 10 120 100 80 60 0 20 0 2 PWC 51 1 PWC 100 + PWC PERSONAL WATERCRAFT ACCIDENTS *155 personal watercraft accidents involving 217 PWC VESSEL TYPE, LENGTH & PROPULSION Rowboat (jon) Mini jet boat Sail (only) Canoe/kayak Houseboat Pontoon boat Airboat Sail (aux power) Cabin motorboat Personal watercraft Open motorboat < 12 Feet 12-16 Feet 17-21 Feet 22-26 Feet 27-0 Feet 1-65 Feet 66+ Feet Manual Sail Air thrust Water jet Propeller 2 7 7 11 1 22 1 52 12 5 15 26 2 10 102 17 205 217 22 200 172 220 20 68 0 100 200 00 00 500 600 700 *71 accidents involving 1 vessels
VESSEL FUEL & HULL TYPE Electric 2 0 Diesel 168 Gas 71 Rubber/vinyl Rigid hull inflatable Wood Steel /no info Aluminum 7 12 21 75 Fiberglass 86 0 150 00 50 600 750 00 *71 accidents involving 1 vessels VESSEL & PROPERTY DAMAGE FIGURES (IN MILLIONS) VESSEL OWNERSHIP 16 1 12 10 10.6 10.6 1.5 10 Borrowed (not in household) 65 / 6% Rented 125 / 1% 8 6 8.1 Owner household 801 / 81% 2 0 2012 201 201 2015 2016 10
PRIMARY CAUSE ASSESSED BY REVIEWING AUTHORITY Off throttle steering-jet Improper loading Overloading Lack of proper lights Standing/sitting on gunwale, bow or transom Failure to vent fumes Ignition of fuel vapor Violation of nav rule Hull failure Improper anchoring Congested waters Sharp turn Vision obstructed Equipment failure Skier or occupant behavior Alcohol use Weather Hazardous waters Careless/reckless Machinery failure Excessive speed Operator inexperience No proper look-out/inattention 1 2 5 7 8 11 1 1 16 18 25 2 2 6 5 6 10 20 0 0 60 0 120 150 180 210 No Info 25 / % OPERATOR AGE Less than 17 21 / 2% 17-21 52 / 6% Less than 10 Hours 126 / 1% OPERATOR EXPERIENCE (HOURS) 61 / 7% OPERATOR GENDER 21 / 2% Female 70 / 8% 51+ / 8% 22-5 202 / 2% 6-50 20 / 28% 10-100 Hours 18 / 2% 100+ Hours 8 / 56% Male 78 / 0% *71 accidents involving 87 operators. Vessels may have been docked, anchored, or involved in a hit and run accident which would result in no operator information. Also some information may not be provided by operators. 11
2012 201 201 2015 2016 OPERATOR/OCCUPANT SWIMMING ABILITY OPERATOR/OCCUPANT PFD USE 60 / % Could not swim 576 / 2% Could swim 1,75 / 68% Not wearing PFD 1,517 / 75% Wearing PFD / 25% *2,011 total occupants and operators OPERATOR BY AGE WITH NO BOATER EDUCATION BOAT OPERATOR 18 / 2% EDUCATION Boater education 2 / 8% *87 operators No boater education 52 / 60% Age unknown 51+ 6-50 22-5 17-21 0-16 Age unknown 51+ 6-50 22-5 17-21 0-16 51+ 6-50 22-5 17-21 0-16 51+ 6-50 22-5 17-21 0-16 51+ 6-50 22-5 17-21 0-16 5 2 20 11 20 10 25 8 2 7 116 111 115 128 125 151 15 166 1 162 172 157 175 20 20 12 0 0 60 0 120 150 180 210 20 *Five operators did not provide date of birth (DOB)
PFD WEAR BY AGE VICTIM STATISTICS Age unknown 17 Fatal 67 / % 51+ 8 6--50 22--5 111 11 Injured 21 / 21% 17--21 65 6--16 5 Uninjured 1,5 / 76% <5 12 0 0 60 0 120 150 * of 2,011 operators/occupants were wearing a PFD at time of the accident. 17 did not provide a date of birth. *2,022 persons involved in vessel accidents. 2,011 operators/occupant and 11 swimmers. Offshore 8 / 5% STATE WATERS VS. OFFSHORE WATERS (ACCIDENTS) VICTIM STATISTICS (EJECTED) Ejected 5 / 22% State waters 676 / 5% Not ejected 1,576 / 78% *Offshore is defined as the edge of the Gulfstream or three miles from shore, whichever is greater, in the Atlantic and more than nine miles out in the Gulf of Mexico. *2,011 total operators and occupants 1
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