Recreational Boating Safety Facts

Every year, the U.S. Coast Guard compiles statistics on reported recreational boating accidents. These statistics are derived from accident reports that are filed by the owners / operators of recreational vessels involved in accidents.

All figures are from the U.S. Coast Guard’s 2017 Recreational Boating Safety Statistics, the latest official record of reported recreational boating accidents. 

Data collected from the U.S. Coast Guard tell the story that responsible boating can save lives.

Key Facts

• Drowning was reported as the cause of death in 76 percent of all fatalities (four out of five people died from drowning).
• Approximately 84.5 percent of those who drowned were not wearing life jackets. 
• In 2017, the Coast Guard counted 4,291 accidents that involved 658 deaths, 2,629 injuries and approximately $46 million dollars of damage to property as a result of recreational boating accidents.
• The fatality rate was 5.5 deaths per 100,000 registered recreational vessels. This rate represents a 6.8 percent decrease from the 2016 fatality rate of 5.9 deaths per 100,000 registered recreational vessels.
• Only 14 percent of deaths occurred on boats where the operator had received boating safety instruction. 
• Operator inattention, improper lookout, operator inexperience, machinery failure and alcohol use as the top five primary contributing factors in accidents.
• Alcohol use is the leading known contributing factor in fatal boating accidents. Where the primary cause was known, alcohol was listed as the leading factor in 19 percent of deaths.
• Where data was known, the most common types of vessels involved in reported accidents were open motorboats (46 percent), personal watercraft (18 percent) and cabin motorboats (16 percent).

Data Snapshot 

• Fatalities: 658 
• Drownings: 449 
• Injuries (requiring medical treatment beyond first aid): 2,629 
• Boating accidents: 4,291 
• Property damage: $49,992,120.93 
• Number of registered recreational boats in the U.S.: 11,961,568 

Reported Boating Accidents

Source: U.S. Coast Guard 2017 Recreational Boating Safety Statistics

Safety starts with you. It only takes one minute, but the reward lasts a lifetime.