As spring rolls into summer, the weather heats up, and many of us enjoy the breeze and spray from boating on the lake and river in Chicago. Time on the water can be great family fun, but accidents can easily happen if you are not careful.
Sadly, boating accidents are not uncommon and can result in severe – and sometimes fatal – injuries. A wave can jolt a passenger out of their seat. Striking an underwater rock, debris, or dock can throw a passenger into the water. Crashing with another boat can be deadly from the collision, fire, and drowning.
Injuries sustained in boating accidents can be severe and life-changing.
7 Boating Safety Tips
In 2022, the U.S. Coast Guard reported 636 boating fatalities and 2,222 injuries. This is in addition to the 4,040 accidents and $63 million in property damage
Accidents range from collisions with other vessels, flooding/swamping, collisions with fixed objects, passengers falling overboard, and skier mishaps. Boat collisions are the leading cause of accidents and deaths.
Among the most common boating injuries are:
- Drowning
- Trauma
- Hypothermia
- Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
- Contact with a spinning propeller
- Cardiac Arrest
As you enjoy a day on the water, know your limitations and prepare yourself and your loved ones for any situation that might occur on the water to avoid serious injuries.
1. Know the Weather
Before boating, know the local weather conditions and forecast. It might look like a great day to be out on the water, but Mother Nature can switch things up within minutes.
Bad weather resulted in 42 boating deaths and 244 accidents in 2022, most of which started with calm waters.
Quick transitions from smooth sailing to high winds, storms, and rough waters often lead to accidents and, in the worst cases, death.
Before you leave, check the local weather forecast and keep a radio on board in case of a severe emergency. Do not go out onto the water if strong winds or predicted thunderstorms are forecast.
2. Wear a Life Jacket
It’s common sense to always wear a floatation safety device. Of the boating accident victims who drowned, 85% were not wearing a life jacket at the time of death.
While not always “cool,” adherence to basic safety regulations saves lives. In fact, only 11.6% of adults regularly wear safety vests while boating (65% for children).
Wearing a life jacket isn’t enough; it’s about wearing it properly. Read the instructions and learn the proper procedures to ensure your life vest will work when needed.
You might be close to the shore or an experienced swimmer, but it doesn’t matter: the Coast Guard recommends that everyone wear a safety vest to protect themselves from danger.
3. Avoid Distractions
You’re going to want to avoid as many distractions as possible while driving your boat. In the 2020 boating season, driver inattention led to 55 deaths and 664 accidents. Distractions range from paying attention to other people instead of the water ahead of you, texting while driving, or eating/drinking.
These distractions can distract you from what’s most important: knowing your surroundings and protecting the people onboard your boat.
Once you anchor your boat or return to land, you can converse and eat as much as you want. But if you’re behind the wheel, it’s your responsibility to protect yourself and everyone around you.
4. Only Drive a Boat Sober
Like operating any motor vehicle, you should only do so while sober.
In Illinois, the legal blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit for boat operators is 0.08%, the same as for driving a car. For a first offense, penalties can include a fine of up to $2,500 and imprisonment for up to one year. Subsequent offenses or cases involving serious injury or death lead to more severe penalties, including felony charges.
Also, there is an implied consent policy on the water, which means anyone driving a boat on Illinois waters has given consent to chemical testing. If you refuse, your license may be revoked for two years.
And that’s just the legal issue. Driving a boat while impaired affects your ability to focus and reaction times. Easy seas can turn nasty in a second requiring you to be at your best to avoid serious injuries.
5. Be Sure All Drivers have Boating Experience or are Trained
Ensure the boat operator has proper training and experience with the specific watercraft in use. Approximately 77% of boating accidents occurred with drivers without boat training.
Numerous options exist for boat safety courses, including one hosted by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. At around 8 hours in length, this course results in a boat safety certificate.
For people looking for something entirely online, Boat-Ed offers several different courses that can be taken from the comfort of their homes.
With many different boat safety course options, taking one before driving a boat is necessary.
If you’re a passenger, ask the driver if they have any training or boating experience. This information and knowledge go a long way in protecting everyone around you.
6. Be Aware of Your Surroundings
Be mindful of your surroundings. Although the waterway may appear huge and wide compared to roads, swimmers, rocks, or debris may create a dangerous situation.
If you aren’t paying attention to your surroundings, you’re more likely to get in a serious accident that will endanger everyone on board. This is why it is so important to remove any distractions while driving.
Be extra cautious in areas where people may be swimming. It’s easy to lose sight of someone in the water, sometimes leading to severe injuries.
7. Conduct a Pre-Departure Checklist
Before you leave, do a quick check of all the important pieces of equipment on your boat. This includes ensuring you have enough gas, there are no danger signals on your dash, there are life preservers on board,
The better prepared you are before you leave, the less likely you will be in a dangerous situation.
Involved in a Boating Accident? Call FLT Law Today.
For over 50 years, the team at FLT Law has helped people involved in car accidents, workers’ compensation disputes and boating accidents get the financial compensation they deserve.
If you’ve been involved in an accident and need someone on your side, call FLT Law today and speak with a member of our team to get you started.
