If There is a Boating Accident, a Report Must be Filed

There are many boating accidents happening every year and, of these, it is believed that just five to ten percent of non-fatal boating accidents are reported. This shows the need to educate recreational boaters that any boating accident involving fatalities and injuries for which medical treatment is required over and above first aid, as well damage to property exceeding five hundred dollars, needs to be reported to the closest boating authority.

Educate Boaters on Boating Safety

Besides educating boaters, it is also necessary for boaters to get as well as use boating safety information, so that there are fewer boating accidents as well as fatalities that may occur. According to available statistics, it is believed that seventy-five percent of recreational boating accidents took place on boats that were not more than 26 feet in length, and approximately the same percentage of people drowned.

The different types of boating accidents that can occur include capsizing, falling overboard, collisions, fires, sinking and/or flooding, exploding and disappearing. In case of such a mishap, a report must be filed within two days of its occurrence in case of a fatality on the day of the accident.

Or, a report must be flied within two days of the occurrence of the mishap if there are injuries requiring medical treatment more than simple first aid. In case only the vessel is damaged, then the report should be filed within ten days of the mishap. Also, all injuries of a serious nature and loss of life have to be reported to the local authorities immediately.

The boating accident report must be filled out by the operator of the boat and, if he or she is incapacitated, and thus unable to file the report, then the owner of the vessel must do it. In case both are unable to file the report, then a family member or witness may do so. For obtaining the form, one may need to call the state in which the vessel number has been issued or, the state where the accident took place, if it is not the same.

The need to fill out an accident report is to be able to develop safety regulations as well develop manufacturing standards to provide better boats and, boating standards. The information contained in such reports is also helpful in educating people on boating safety and, without such helpful data.

Boating accidents may be overlooked, resulting in more accidents as well as fatalities. Also, a master of the person in charge of a vessel is duty bound to provide whatever assistance possible in case he or she is witness to a boating accident. Failure to do so, can end the person in jail or have to pay a fine or both.