With summer once again upon us, more boaters will be out in their boats on the beautiful Georgia waterways. With so many boats and many inexperienced boaters, there are bound to be accidents. In 2008 in Georgia there were 150 reported boating accidents, 16 of those involved fatalities while another 85 had reported injuries.* The most common types of accidents are collisions with another vessel, flooding or swamping of the boat, collisions with a fixed object, occupants falling overboard, and skier mishaps.
The five most common causes of boating accidents are:
- Careless or reckless operation
- Operator inattention
- No proper lookout
- Operator inexperience
- Passenger/skier behavior
Cochran & Edwards hopes you will have a safe boating season. Here are some safety tips to help you avoid a boating accident:
- ALWAYS wear a life vest
- Take a boater safety course
- Make sure you have safety gear on board and a radio to call for help
- Be aware of weather and water conditions
- Do NOT drink while boating
- Make sure someone on shore knows where you’re going and when you are expected to return
- Do not tolerate horseplay from passengers or skiers
Learn more by watching the USCG Boating Safety Video at: http://www.youtube.com/USCGBoatingSafety
Or read the safety publications at: http://www.uscgboating.org/publications/default.aspx?
*http://www.uscgboating.org/assets/1/Publications/Boating_Statistics_2008.pdf
If you have been injured or a loved one killed in a boating accident caused by another person's negligence, contact Cochran & Edwards today for a free case review by calling (770) 435-2131 or completing the form below.