Laws Reduce Deaths

Sun., May 21, 1995

Charlie Powell

Boating

While boat ownership has doubled in the United States in the past 20 years, boating fatalities have declined by about 60 percent.

Fatalities dropped to a record low of 800 in 1993. The federal government estimates there are 20 million recreational boats.

Reasons for the safety improvement include:

The 1971 Federal Boat Safety Act, directing taxes paid on boat fuel back to state-directed, water-based safety programs.

Widespread passage of laws against boating while intoxicated. At least 50 percent of boating fatalities involve the misuse of alcohol.

Improvements in life jackets and laws requiring their use. Approximately 80 percent of boating fatalities are the result of drowning.

Nevertheless, there’s room for improvement. Last year, 36 people died in boating accidents in Washington, more than twice the national average.

Beginning this month, federal law requires boaters to carry one approved personal flotation device for each person on board.

Formerly, boats under 16 feet in length required carriage of wearable or throwable PFDs only.

Despite boating’s safety gains, 90 percent of boating accidents are still caused by drunks, momentary inattention by sober operators, capsizings caused by overloading and falls overboard.

These all are circumstances that are generally preventable.

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