With the Atlantic ocean to the east, and the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Florida is perfect for enjoying tropical beaches and boating across beautiful open waters. Just one more reason why the Sunshine State is widely recognized as a vacation and tourism hot spot. From luxury cruises to family fishing trips, South Florida attracts sea vessels of all shapes and sizes. It is the largest hub of recreational boats in the country. In 2017, the state reported over 944,000 boating registrations. As a result, the state also experiences higher rates of boat accidents than any other state in the nation.
According to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), there were 766 accidents in 2017, which is a 7.3% increase from 2016. What is even more troubling is that one-third of those accidents involved collisions between vessels. And even worse, according to a report from the United States Coast Guard:
- Alcohol use is the leading contributing factor in fatal boating accidents, with 19% of deaths from boat accidents involving alcohol consumption.
- Where instruction was known, 81% of deaths occurred on boats where the operator did not receive boating safety instruction.
Needless to say, knowing how to protect your rights in the event of an accident is a crucial element of understanding boating safety. If you or someone you know has been injured in a boating accident, call lowercase today at 833-LOW-FEE5 (833-569-3335) to speak with one of our personal injury attorneys about taking action.