There are nearly 12 million registered boats in the United States, 95 percent of which are less than 26 feet in length. These same boats account for as many as 80 percent of the underwater impact injuries in which people in the water are struck by a boat or its propeller. The majority of these accidents are the result of operator error, making them one of the most preventable of all types of boating accidents. While boat or propeller strike accidents are relatively few in number, as compared to other types of boating accidents, some of them are severe and have tragic consequences.
Operator inexperience, incompetence, negligence and intoxication are significant contributing factors in reported boat and propeller strikes, as well as in all other types of boating accidents. In almost all cases, the victim is in the water -- a swimmer, scuba diver, fallen water skier or the operator or a passenger.
Passengers moving about a boat, or who are improperly seated on the bow, a gunwale or a seatback, are ejected from the boat or fall overboard when boat operators are wake jumping, are in sharp turns, or are performing other maneuvers at speeds which are dangerously fast for prevailing conditions. Some victims are ejected from boats by collisions with another boat or a submerged or fixed object. Ejections from a boat are also caused by sudden acceleration or deceleration.
While some victims have been struck by the propeller when a boat was airborne, such as when one vessel collides with and passes over another, such incidents are rare.
Negligent or Grossly Negligent Operation of a Vessel which endangers lives and/or property is prohibited by law. The Coast Guard may impose a civil penalty for negligent operation; violations involving boating while intoxicated could result in criminal penalties. State and Federal marine law enforcement officers are trained to define negligent operation as failure to exercise that degree of care which a reasonable person under like circumstances would demonstrate in order to prevent the endangering of life, limb or property of any person. Grossly negligent operation involves situations in which the boat operator knows a certain act can create an unreasonable risk of harm.
Some examples of actions that may constitute negligent or grossly negligent boat operation are:
- Operating a boat in a swimming area;
- Operating a boat while under the influence of alcohol or drugs;
- Excessive speed in the vicinity of other boats or in dangerous waters;
- Hazardous water skiing practices; or
- Bowriding or riding on the seatback, gunwale or transom.
Most boat or propeller impact accidents can be prevented by boat operators who follow basic safe boating practices:
- Always maintain a proper lookout. The greatest single cause of accidents in which people in the water are struck by a boat or its propeller is operator inattention or carelessness.
- Make sure the engine is off so the propeller is not rotating when passengers are boarding or disembarking a boat.
- Never start a boat with the engine in gear.
- Slow down when approaching congested areas and anchorages. In congested areas, always be alert for swimmers and divers.
- Become familiar with the warning buoys signifying swimming areas and other hazardous areas.
- Keep the boat well clear of marked swimming and diving areas. Become familar with the red and white or blue and white diagonally striped flags signalling that divers are down.
- Before getting underway, make sure passengers are properly seated. Some operators of larger boats with several passengers have started their boats and put the engine in gear while their friends were still swimming or diving from the boat.
- Never ride on a seatback, a gunwale, the transom or on the bow.
- When someone falls overboard:
- Turn the bow of the boat towards the person in the water. For example, if a person falls overboard on the starboard (right) side, turn the boat to starboard so as to move the propeller away from the person in the water.
- Slow down.
- Circle around, keeping the individual in sight.
- Take the engine out of gear or turn off the engine at least a boat length from the victim.
- Throw the individual a line or something which floats with a line attached to it and pull the person to the boat.
- When water skiing, designate a passenger who will keep the skier(s) in sight at all times. Communicate with a skier using standard water skiing hand signals.
The best approach to preventing boat and propeller strikes is to educate boaters, especially boat operators. They must learn the abilities and limitations of their equipment. They must learn and understand the hazards their boats can cause to people in the water. Above all, they must understand the consequences of careless or negligent operation, and how they, as boat operators, can act to prevent accidents.
Posted: 10-15-1999
