AS SEEN IN THE JAN/FEB 2008 ISSUE

“The Zone” - start the New Year right by making sure you’re NOT in it!

When someone typically yaps about being in the “Zone,” they're generally referring to being in a good place, about being focused and having their finger right on the pulse. However, being in the “Zone” as far as the 2006 Boating Statistics are concerned (published by the United States Coast Guard Office of Boating Safety) is NOT the place you or your loved one wants to ever be in.

Follow me here for a moment…

As it relates to recreational boating, check off “Yes” or “No” to the following questions.

Yes      No

__        __        Do you always wear your Personal Floatation Device while boating?

__        __        Do you always pay close attention to your surroundings?

__        __        Do you always operate a vessel greater than 20 feet in length?

__        __        Do you always operate your vessel at reasonable speeds?

__        __        Do you always boat without consuming alcoholic beverages?

__        __        Do you always operate your boat in a safe manner?

__        __        Have you ever attended a safe boating course?

If you checked “No” to any of the above questions, you’re in the “Zone” – the zone which includes 66 percent of all boating-related fatalities! The more “No’s” you checked, the more likely you are to becoming a statistic.

“Overall, two-thirds of all boating related fatalities drowned. Of those, 90-percent were not wearing a life jacket, and eight out of every ten boaters who drowned were in vessels less than 20 feet in length.”*

If you were to look at the details in reference to on-the-water accidents, the Coast Guard excludes more information from the Recreational Boating Statistics then they include. If property damage was below $2,000, then the information is excluded from the accident report. Also, if bodily injury did not require medical attention beyond basic first-aid, then that information is not included either. Deaths due to natural causes and deaths or injuries which occurred on commercial vessels are also not included in the boating fatality statistics. Trust me when I tell you that if the commercial data was, in fact included, the stats would be paint a much grimmer picture.  

Tips for staying out of the “Zone.”

We’ve heard this sports analogy numerous times and whether you’re driving a boat or trying to hit a homerun, you need to “stay focused” on the task at hand. The 2006 Statistics Report found that “Operator Inattention, Carelessness/Reckless Operation, Excessive Speed and Failure to keep a Proper Lookout,” were the primary contributing factors in all reported boating accidents.

All the arguments you hear about drinking and driving in a car not only apply to boating, but they are escalated! The effects of the sun, heat, water and motion make the consumption of alcohol and operating a vessel two ingredients you NEVER want to mix! According to the 2006 statistics, alcohol use is the #1 contributing factor in fatal boating accidents - accounting for nearly 20-percent of all reported fatalities.

The above statistics prove that boaters who took a U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary or partner course are much less likely to be involved in a boating accident. Those who chose no boater education whatsoever clearly have a substantially greater chance of losing their life because of an on-the-water accident.

Boating safety courses are held during the week, on weekends and are offered during both evening and daytime hours. In today’s modern day and age, there simply is no excuse as to why someone can't find and/or participate in a boating safety course.

 

Give yourself the precious gift of safety. Reserve a safe boating class; purchase a book on marine weather or an instructional guide on safe navigation and seamanship. Each of these suggestions can fit any wallet and also fit into anyone’s busy schedule. If you have time to make it out on the water, then you certainly have time to become a “safe Boater.” 

Since the year 2000, the average fatality rate has been between 5.3 and 5.8 per 100,000 registered boats. During the previous decade, the fatality rate was as high as 8.3 per 100,000. While there is evidence of a slight decrease, credit has to be given to the combination of education and modifications in federal, state and local boating safety requirements.

Consider this for a moment; if someone does not know what the rules-of-the-road are, how in the world can he or she take the necessary steps to avoid trouble. Safe boater education is the key to reducing accidents and needless loss of life. The Coast Guard suggests that all boaters take, re-take and continue to increase the amount of boater education they have. Together, we can all make a difference and enjoy the great boating environment Florida has to offer.

For more information on boating safety, visit the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary at www.cgaux.info.

*USCG 2006 Boating Statistic’s COMDTPUB P16754.20 Report which can be found at www.uscgboating.org/statistics.

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