Florida: Number One for Boating Accidents In 2014

Last year (2014), there was a number of high-profile boating accidents in south Florida, Miami-Dade appearing to be the hot spot. Including the unfortunate Fourth of July weekend boating accident that claimed the lives of four people. There was also and an incident when a boat got stuck on a sandbar, and a man was killed when he unfortunately somehow got caught in the propeller while trying to release the boat. Leisure boating accidents appear to be on the increase it appears, especially in our area.

In fact, according to newly released figures from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Miami-Dade County leads the state in number of boating accidents, not just sheer numbers but also by the number of accidents per registered vessel.

In 2014, there were 79 boating accidents in Miami-Dade alone. Ten people died between them, and 47 people were injured, but if we look at Florida as a whole, it leads the US in recreational boating accidents with 581 reported accidents and 62 fatalities. The number one cause? Operator inattention. That means the majority of these accidents were avoidable. Mechanical failure only contributed to a small number of these accidents and improper lookouts was number two.

A big thank you to the US Coastguard who without doubt helped keep these numbers as low as they are and also for compiling the data, view the 2014 report here

If you are involved in a boating accident please contact one of our attorneys here at Clark Fountain for a free case assessment.