Read more on how to make the Grieving Families Act happen here.

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First and foremost, boaters should ensure that their paperwork is in order, including any mandatory safety certificates. Before the launch, boaters should also have safety gear and equipment, including life jackets, first aid kits and distress signals.

Proactive safety measures matter. Life jackets are of paramount importance, with estimates of 80 percent of fatalities prevented by their use. Checking weather conditions is essential as well.

Troubling trends

Recent U.S. Coast Guard statistics from 2019 underscore the importance of that proactive approach. The Coast Guard’s Boating Safety Division reported more than 4,000 recreational boating accidents that resulted in 613 deaths, 2,559 injuries, and $55 million in property damage. The Coast Guard is a great resource for boating safety information.

For many boating enthusiasts, relaxing on the water includes enjoying adult beverages; however, boating while intoxicated (BWI) is not just a criminal matter. Drunk watercraft operators present severe and potentially deadly risks, just as drunk drivers do. Impairment affects peripheral and night vision as well as judgment, coordination, and reaction time, all of which both contribute to the happening of accidents and adversely impacts one’s ability to assist others in danger.

If you are going to be operating a boat, do not risk the safety of others by consuming alcohol. Boating can be a safe, enjoyable summer activity, but it can also become very dangerous if operators fail to follow the basic common sense safety rules.

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Boating accidents can take many forms. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security reports that the five most common include:

• Crashes with another recreational watercraft
• Collisions with an object, most commonly a dock
• Flooding or swamping
• Grounding
• Passengers falling overboard

The certification process

In addition to requiring the dissemination of valuable, potentially life-saving information, the law requires boaters to complete a boating safety course approved by the state and to be certified in motorized watercraft operation via a safety course. During the five-year rollout, certain age groups will also be added that will be mandated to have a boater card in their possession while on the water.

• Born after January 1, 1993 – Boaters should already have boating safety certification as of 2020
• Born after January 1, 1988, requires boating safety certification by 2022
• Born after January 1, 1983 mandates boating safety certification by 2023
• Born after January 1, 1978, must have boating safety certification by 2025
• Operators of all ages have until January 1, 2025, to secure boating safety certification

The consequences for not pursuing certification are severe, particularly for those who find themselves involved in an accident.

Boating accidents are both a nationwide and a local problem. We, in Western New York, are blessed with an abundance of recreational waterways, which are well used during our warm weather months.

Whether collisions occur on the Niagara River, Lake Erie, Chautauqua or the Finger Lakes, the risks are the same and can lead to life-changing, if not life-ending, tragedies. Victims of these crashes and their family members can learn their legal options by consulting with a qualified personal injury law firm with experience in boating accident cases.

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