U.S. Coast Guard
2007 Recreational Boating Statistics

• 5,191 accidents
• 685 fatalities
• 3,673 injuries
• $53,106,496 in property damage
• Over 2/3 of all fatal boating accident victims drowned.
• In 90% of the fatalities the individual was not wearing a life jacket.
• Three out of every 4 boaters who drowned were using boats less than 21 feet in length.
• Alcohol use is the leading contributing factor in fatal boating accidents; accounting for 21% of all reported fatalities.

The statistics are for all the States and the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Island

U.S. Coast Guard
2007 Recreational Boating Statistics

• Most reported type of accident (52%) was collision with another vessel.
• About half (46%) of boating accidents and 48% of fatalities occurred on lakes, ponds, reservoirs, dams, gravel pits.
• Twenty-one percent of boating accidents and 20% of fatalities occurred on rivers, streams and creeks.
• Ninety-five percent of fatalities occurred on boats less 26 feet.

Time of day, month of year and day of week:

• Over half (57%) of boating accidents occurred between 12:30 and 6:30 pm with the peak between 2:30 and 4:30 pm.
• Over third (35%) of boating fatalities occurred between 2:30 and 6:30 pm.
• July, June and August (respectively) were the months with the highest number of accidents; accounting for 56%. Almost a quarter (23%) of the accidents occurred in July alone.
• June, July, May, and August (respectively) were the months with the highest number of fatalities; accounting for 54%. Fifteen percent of the fatalities occurred in July alone.
• Over half (57%) of the accidents and about half (49%) of the fatalities occurred on Saturday and Sunday.

Weather and Water Conditions:

• Over half (52%) of boating accidents and 48% of fatalities occurred on calm water conditions (waves less than 6 inches).
• Over sixty percent (63%) of boating accidents and 52% of fatalities occurred with wind of 6 mph or less.
• Seventy-four percent of accidents and 63% of fatalities occurred with good visibilities during the day.

2007
U.S. Coast Guard

NY

MA

CT

VT

Registered Boaters*
Ranked by state

Accidents

Fatalities

Injuries

Property Damage

*Registered Boaters: New York, Massachusetts & Vermont: All motorboats
  Connecticut: All motorboats and sailboat 19.5 feet or more in length