Boating Accidents Can Be Deadly

Boaters and passengers preparing for the weekend will benefit from keeping boating safety in mind. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks officials say boating accidents occur more frequently than even the statistics indicate.

"Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks wardens believe that the 20-40 boating accidents reported each year represent only about 10 percent of all reportable boating accidents in Montana," said Liz Lodman, FWP boat education coordinator. "The 20-40 reported accidents include motorized, non-motorized and personal water craft (jet skis) accidents."

A boating accident must be reported if it involves the death or disappearance of someone, injury requiring first aid, or property damage of $100 or more.

Lodman said there have been 47 boating fatalities in the past seven years. About 60 percent of the fatalities involve men.

By far the most common types of boating accidents that occur in Montana are collisions with another vessel, capsizing, collision with fixed or floating objects and falling overboard.

Lodman said contributing factors include operator inattention, operator inexperience, hazardous water and excessive speed. Alcohol was involved in 12 of the accidents.

"The single most important thing people can do when boating is wear a personal flotation device or life jacket," Lodman said. "Of the 47 fatalities in the past seven years, 27 were not wearing a life jacket. Many of these tragedies may have been preventable."

Lodman said most accidents involve motorized vessels, however most fatalities involved non-motorized rafts, canoes, kayaks, and driftboats.