Fatalities from recreational boating have fallen to the lowest level in 50 years according to the U.S. Coast Guard’s 2024 Recreational Boating Statistics Report.
The report shows there were 556 fatalities in the calendar year, down from 564 in 2023.
But overall incidents increased by 1.1% from 3,844 to 3.887 and nonfatal injuries increased 2.1% from 2,126 to 2,170.
Alcohol continued to be the leading known contributing factor in fatal boating accidents in 2024, accounting for 92 deaths, or 20% of total fatalities.
“Boating under the influence is not only illegal but it is also dangerous,” said Capt. Robert Compher, inspections and compliance director.
“The effects of alcohol can be magnified when boating in the sun and on a moving vessel. Staying sober protects you and those around you.”
Operator inattention
The fatality rate was 4.8 deaths per 100,000 registered recreational vessels, a 2% decrease from last year’s rate of 4.9 deaths per 100,000.
In 1971, when the Safe Boating Act was first passed, the rate was 20.6 deaths per 100,000.Property damage totaled $88 million, and operator inattention, improper lookout, operator inexperience, machinery failure and navigation rules ranked as the top five primary contributing factors in accidents.
Property damage totalled $88 million, and operator inattention, improper lookout, operator inexperience, machinery failure and navigation rules ranked as the top five primary contributing factors in accidents.
Deaths occurred predominantly on vessels operated by individuals who had not received boating safety instruction, accounting for roughly 70% of fatalities.
Reported incidents
Open motorboats, personal watercraft and cabin motorboats were the vessel types most involved in reported incidents.
There was an increase in deaths on standup paddleboards, with drowning accounting for three-quarters of deaths, with 87% of victims not wearing life jackets.
The data in the report is based on incidents that resulted in at least one of the following: death, disappearance, injury that required medical treatment beyond first aid, damage to the vessel(s), or other property equal to or greater than $2,000 or a loss of vessel.
87% of fatalities were not wearing a Personal Floatation Device and four out of every five boaters who drowned were aboard vessels less than 21 feet in length.
Collisions
And there were 169 incidents in which at least one person was struck by a propeller with these incidents resulting in 30 deaths and 158 injuries.
The figures also show that navigation rules violations were a contributing factor in the majority of incidents with 34% of deaths, and 63% of injuries.
Where data was known, collisions such as with other vessels, objects or groundings were the most frequent first event in incidents, attributing to 56% of incidents, 24% of deaths, and 54% of injuries.
There were 11,674,073 recreational vessels registered in 2024, representing a 1.1% increase from last year when 11,546,512 recreational vessels were registered.
