Number of Boating Deaths Down in Indiana
June 21, 2011
Fatal boating accidents in Indiana have been cut in half since 2009, according to a new statement from the U.S. Coast Guard.
In 2009, boating-related deaths in Indiana had reached a five-year high. That year there were 13 fatal accidents that resulted in 13 deaths, compared with six fatal accidents that resulted in eight deaths in 2010.
One such accident occurred last summer when a speed boat collided with a fishing boat on Lake Monroe in Bloomington, killing a 51-year-old woman and her eight-year-old grandson.
Despite the positive trending toward fewer fatalities, the overall number of Indiana boating accidents and injuries remains steady–42 in 2009 and 43 in 2010. This number is down, though, from a spike in accidents–55 total–seen in 2008.
Across the nation, boaters are becoming more safety-minded so that the total number of fatalities in the U.S. fell to a record low of 672, four less than the previous record set in 2004.
The U.S. Coast Guard urges all boaters to take a safety course, as education has been the key factor linked with avoiding injury and death.
About 75 percent of all fatal boating accidents are drownings, and the U.S. Coast Guard reports that nearly 90 percent of those victims weren’t wearing life jackets.
Why do you think so few boaters wear life-jackets? What can be done to enforce boating safety so that Indiana boat accidents can be prevented?
If you or someone you know has been involved in an Indiana boat accident, the Indiana boat accident lawyers at Woods and Woods can help.
