Most Wanted

Transportation Safety

Improvements

State Issues

Enhance Recreational Boating Safety

Importance

In the past 10 years (1997 to 2006), 7,290 persons have suffered recreational boating fatalities.  In 2005, 697 people died; in 2006, 710 people died.

In 2006, the Coast Guard reports that of the 710 persons who died, 473 drowned (67 percent of the fatalities); and 422, or 89 percent, of the drowning victims were not wearing personal flotation devices (PFDs).

Unlike general aviation and motor vehicle operations, an operator of a recreational boat is not always required to demonstrate an understanding of the basic boating rules or an ability to operate the vessel.  A 1993 Safety Board study found that perhaps as few as 7 percent, and certainly no more than 22 percent, of first-time boat operators had taken some type of voluntary boating safety course.  Moreover, successful completion of these courses indicates only that the people who have taken them have knowledge of basic boating safety rules; it does not indicate that these people have demonstrated an ability to operate the vessel.

The Board's 1993 study on recreational boating safety indicated that 85 percent of those who drowned in a boating accident and for whom information was available were not wearing PFDs.  USCG data in 2006 indicates that 89 percent of those who drowned were not wearing PFDs, an increase of 4 percentage points from the proportion reported in the Board’s study.

In 2006, 68 boating fatalities involved personal watercraft (PWC) operators or passengers.  Of this number, 22 drowned (32 percent) and 46 died of other injuries.  In addition, in the same year, about 920 PWC-related injuries were reported to the USCG.

Operators of rented PWCs in the Board’s study sample had less PWC experience than did operators of privately owned PWCs.  Only one out of three PWC renters included in the Board’s accident analysis indicated that the rental agent had required him or her to demonstrate PWC riding ability.

(1) Safety Recommendation M-93-1 (PFD Use by Children, Boat Operator Knowledge)

M-93-1 (the States, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico)
Issued November 7, 1993
Added to the Most Wanted list:  1994
Status:  Various           
Implement minimum recreational boating safety standards to reduce the number and severity of accidents; consider requirements such as mandatory use of personal flotation devices for children, demonstration of operator knowledge of safety boating rules and skills, and operator licensing.  (Source:  1993 Safety Study on Recreational Boating [NTSB/SS-93-01])

Summary of Action

Since the Safety Board’s recommendations were issued, more than half of the States have enacted legislation or taken action consistent with the Board’s recommendations.

Mandatory PFD use for children:  47 States (AL, AK, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, HI, ID, IL, IN-not State-only waters, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, WA, WV and WY), the District of Columbia, and 2 Territories (Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands).  For Wyoming, this recommendation was classified “Closed—Unacceptable Action,” in 1995 based on the response of a past Wyoming Boating Law Administrator.  In 2006, a new Boating Law Administrator actively sought a regulation requiring PFDs for children.  Wyoming does not have a regulation for mandatory boater education.

Mandatory education: 36 States (AR, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, IL, IA, KS, KY, LA, MD, MI, MS, MO, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SD, TN, TX, VA, VT, WA, WV, and WI), the District of Columbia, and 2 Territories (Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands).

Mandatory operator licensing:  One State (AL).

Thirty-three States (AR, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, IL, KS, KY, LA, MD, MI, MS, MO, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SD, TN, TX, VA, VT, WA and WV), the District of Columbia, and two Territories (Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands) have both PFD and education requirements.  Alabama has both PFD and a license requirement. 

In 2007, two States (IA and WI) considered legislation mandating PFD use by children.  New Hampshire and Nevada amended their laws to include all children under age 13 to wear PFDs.  Virginia mandated boating safety education.  Wyoming enacted a regulation that requires children ages 12 and under to wear PFDs.  Maine provided a report to its legislature in February 2007 on how Maine can implement boating safety education.  Several States (CA, IL, HI, MN, MT and ME) will seek boating safety education in 2008.

Actions Remaining

Fourteen States have yet to require either education of recreational boat operators or an operator license.

Three States have yet to mandate PFD use by children on recreational boats.  One State does not mandate PFD use by children on State-only waters.

(2) Safety Recommendation M-98-101 (Instruction for PWC Operators)

M-98-101 (the States, the District of Columbia, and the Territories)
Issued June 25, 1998
Added to the Most Wanted list:  1999
Status:  Various
Enact or revise your recreational boating laws, as necessary, to require rental businesses to provide safety instruction training to all persons who operate rented personal watercraft; all the operators should be required to demonstrate their ability to operate and control personal watercraft.  (Source:  1998 Safety Study on Personal Watercraft [NTSB/SS-98-01])

Summary of Action

Since the Safety Board’s recommendations were issued, more than half of the States have enacted legislation or taken action consistent with the Board’s recommendations.

Safety instruction is required at PWC rental operations in 34 States (AL, AR, CT, DE, FL, HI, ID, IN, IA, KY, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, ND, OH, OR, PA, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, WA, WV, and WI), the District of Columbia, and 4 Territories (Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands).  Wyoming PWC rental operations voluntarily provide instruction.  Two States (RI and SD) and American Samoa do not have PWC rental operations.

Actions Remaining

Thirteen States have yet to require safety instruction at PWC rental operations. 

September 2007

Chart - Personal Watercraft - Recommendation M-98-101 (26 KB)
Chart - Minimum Recreational Boating Safety Standards - Recommendation M-93-1 (63 KB)
Map - Personal Flotation Device Laws for Children (233 KB)
Map - Boat Operator Knowledge (231 KB)
Map - Pre-Rental Instruction for PWC Operators (102 KB)

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