Water Sports Accidents and Statistics

Updated on July 8, 2024

Encouraged by year-round sunshine and warm weather, water sports and activities are common for Florida residents and tourists. As temperatures climb in summer months, involvement in water recreation activities including boating, parasailing, and kayaking increases as well.

Unfortunately, water sports and boating activities also present relative dangers. Each year, carelessness and operator inexperience contribute to drowning deaths and serious anoxic brain injuries for those who survive drowning accidents. Our personal injury lawyers in Tampa have seen firsthand how dangerous these activities can be when participants (and others) fail to take the necessary safety measures.

Florida 5-Year Summary of Selected Accident Data (2019-2023)

Boating and Water Sports Accident Statistics

Boating Accidents

• Florida leads the nation with a total of 1,035,911 registered vessels in 2023.
• In 2023, there were 659 reportable boating accidents in Florida.
• Collision with a fixed object was the leading type of accident in Florida, accounting for 28% of accidents (182 incidents).
• Paddle/human-powered craft (canoes, kayaks, rowboats, paddleboards) were involved in 15 accidents, resulting in 7 fatalities (7 kayaks/canoes).
• July was the month with the highest number of accidents in Florida (100).
• Monroe County reported the highest number of accidents and injuries (87 total accidents with 3 fatalities and 62 injuries).
• Personal watercraft (PWC) accounted for 17% of all registered vessels in Florida and were involved in 23% of reportable boating accidents (151 incidents).
• 51% of PWC accidents involved a collision with another vessel.

Fatalities

• In 2023, there were 56 fatal accidents in Florida, resulting in 59 fatalities.
• 29% of the fatal accidents resulted from a collision with a fixed object (16 accidents).
• Falls overboard have been the leading type of fatal accident since 2003, with 25% of boating fatalities in 2023 resulting from falls overboard (14 accidents).
• The leading cause of death in fatal boating accidents was drowning, with 28 fatalities (50%).
• June and September were the months with the highest number of fatalities in Florida (7 each month).
• Alcohol or drug use played a role in 23% of boating fatalities.
• 88% of the victims of fatal boating accidents were males.
• 73% of the operators involved in fatal accidents were age 36 or older.
• 55% of all vessels involved in fatal accidents in 2023 were 21 feet in length or less.

Causes

• Alcohol use is the leading contributing factor in fatal boating accidents, listed as the leading factor in 23% of deaths.
• Operator inattention, inexperience, improper lookout, excessive speed, and machinery failure rank as the top five primary contributing factors in accidents.
• 83% of operators involved in fatal accidents had no formal boater education.
• In Florida, there were 283 accidents resulting in 408 injuries, with an injury rate of 39 injuries per 100,000 registered vessels.
• Towed watersport activities were involved in 4 accidents, resulting in 5 injuries.

What is the Leading Cause of PWC Crashes?

Personal Watercraft (PWC), comprising 17% of registered vessels in Florida, were involved in 23% of reportable boating accidents. Among these incidents, collision with another vessel was the primary cause, accounting for 51% of PWC accidents. This highlights a significant safety concern, emphasizing the need for improved operator awareness, adherence to safety protocols, and enhanced education to reduce collisions and promote safer boating practices statewide.

Water Sports Safety Tips

Training, education, and adherence to safety standards can help reduce the amount of water sports injuries each year. Inexperienced renters or new owners of boats, PWC, or kayaks should implement a few basic precautions to prevent serious accidents from occurring.

1. Learn How to Swim: Basic swimming ability will prepare an individual when engaging in any water-related sports or activities. This skill can also prevent a person from panicking if he/she should fall in the water. Panicked swimmers can also pose a danger to anyone attempting to pull them to safety.

2. Wear a Life Jacket / Personal Flotation Device (PFD): Strong swimming ability is not an exemption from wearing a life vest. Most PFDs are designed to keep a person’s head above water if he/she is rendered unconscious.

3. Don’t Go Alone: Avoid boating, kayaking, or riding a PWC alone. Take a friend or set out with a group. If you must go out onto the water alone, set a sail plan just like a pilot sets a flight plan. Friends or family should be made aware each time you go out on the water, where you’re going, and how long you expect to be gone. Stick to your sail plan and agree to call someone once you come ashore safely.

4. Avoid Consuming Alcohol: The vessel operator should abstain from alcoholic beverages while on the water. Combined with full sun exposure and greater potential for dehydration, the effects of alcohol on the water have been proven to be more debilitating than on land. US Coast Guard statistics cited that alcohol use on the water is the highest contributing factor to fatal boating accidents.

If you or a loved one is injured and requires a Tampa boating accident lawyer, Vanguard Attorneys is here to help. We offer free cost, no-obligation consultations and will ensure your rights are protected. Call 813-471-4444 today and get the help you deserve.

References:

US Coast Guard (PDF) – https://uscgboating.org/statistics/accident_statistics.php

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (PDF) – https://myfwc.com/media/wjiizlb1/2023-basr.pdf

Wikipedia – PWC-related accidents – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PWC-related_accidents