| The United States Coast Guard 2008 report on | | | | correspondence courses so boaters can complete |
| Florida boating accidents shows 616 accidents of | | | | requirements as conveniently as possible. |
| which 50 accidents involved fatalities that killed 55 | | | | For personal safety, everyone onboard your vessel |
| people. In addition, there were 371 non-fatal injuries | | | | should be wearing a personal flotation device (PFD). |
| and over $22 million dollars worth of damage due to | | | | Florida law requires that: |
| boating accidents. 106 of these accidents involved | | | | - The owner and/or operator of a vessel is |
| collision with a fixed object, 20 from striking a | | | | responsible to carry, store, maintain and use the |
| submerged object, and 190 were due to collision with | | | | safety equipment required by the U.S. Coast Guard |
| another vessel. 25 people were forcibly ejected from | | | | (USCG). |
| their boat and 45 people were injured falling | | | | - All vessels are required to have onboard a wearable |
| overboard. Across the country, over two-thirds of | | | | USCG-approved personal flotation device (PFD) for |
| boating fatalities were due to drowning and 90% of | | | | each person. The PFDs must be of the appropriate |
| the drowning victims were not wearing life jackets. | | | | size for the intended wearer, be in serviceable |
| The primary causes of the accidents, injuries and | | | | condition, and within easy access. The State of |
| property damage are operator inattention, careless | | | | Florida urges all people onboard a boat to wear a life |
| or reckless operation, no proper lookout, operator | | | | jacket. |
| inexperience, and passenger or skier behavior. Many | | | | - Vessels 16 feet in length or longer must also have |
| accidents also involve consumption of alcohol. In fact, | | | | at least one USCG-approved throwable Type IV PFD |
| alcohol was a leading contributing factor in 17% of | | | | that is immediately available in case of a fall |
| the boating fatalities in 2008. | | | | overboard. |
| Effective January 1, 2010, Florida law now requires | | | | - A child under the age of 6 must wear a |
| that persons born on or after January 1, 1988, | | | | USCG-approved Type I, II or III personal flotation |
| complete a NASBLA-approved boater education | | | | device while onboard a vessel under 26 feet in length |
| course prior to operating a vessel powered by a | | | | while the vessel is under way. "Under way" is |
| motor of 10 horsepower or more (this includes | | | | defined as anytime except when the vessel is |
| personal water craft such as jet skis and wave | | | | anchored, moored, made fast to the shore or |
| runners). The law also requires that persons affected | | | | aground. |
| by this legislation have in their possession a boater | | | | Florida boating accidents can in the blink of an eye |
| safety identification card issued by the Florida Fish | | | | and for numerous reasons: you can slip and fall |
| and Wildlife Conservation Commission and | | | | overboard slipping on the deck or from inattention, |
| photographic ID while operating a vessel. Florida does | | | | drinking on the boat can contribute to a fall |
| not have a "boating license." The Boating Safety | | | | overboard, bad weather can contribute, and being hit |
| Education Identification Card is proof of successful | | | | by another boat can cause a fall overboard. In most |
| completion of the educational requirements and is | | | | instances, the passenger either does not have |
| valid for life. | | | | enough time to grab a life jacket before falling |
| The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission offers | | | | overboard or is unconscious and unable to put on a |
| several ways to take an online boater's safety | | | | life jacket, so it is important for all boating |
| course. They also offer on-site classes and | | | | passengers to wear a PFD at all times. |