# Presentation: 602588

## UNITED STATES COAST GUARD25 August 2004

- NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD
- MS701:  FORUM – Personal Flotation Devices in Recreational Boating

- Captain Scott Evans, Chief, Office of Boating Safety

## USCG NATIONAL RECREATIONAL BOATING SAFETY PROGRAM

**	****MISSION:  **
**	****To minimize the loss of life, personal injury, property damage, and environmental impact associated with the use of recreational boats, through preventive means, in order to maximize the safe use and enjoyment of U.S. waterways by the public.**

## USCG NATIONAL RECREATIONAL BOATING SAFETY PROGRAM

**OUTCOME GOALS:**
**Reduce **_**fatalities**_**. **
**Reduce **_**injuries**_** and associated healthcare costs.**
**Reduce **_**accidents**_** and property damage.**

## RISK-BASED DECISION MAKING

**A PROCESS THAT ORGANIZES INFORMATION ABOUT:**
**the possibility for one or more unwanted outcomes **
**into a broad, orderly structure **
**that helps decision makers make more informed management choices.**

## RISK-BASED DECISION MAKING

**FOCUS ON THE HIGHEST RISK OF AN**
**ACTIVITY, DETERMINED BY: **
**The types of possible losses, **
**The frequencies at which they are expected to occur, and**
**The effects they might have.**

## 2003 BOATING ACCIDENT STATISTICS

- Registered Boats: _**12,766,536**_
- Accidents: _**5,443**_
- Injuries:**    **_**3,888**_
- Fatalities:     _**703**_
- Ages 12 and Under:   _27_

- Most Reported Types of Boats in Accidents:
**Open Motorboats: 43%**
**PWC: 27%**
**Cabin Motorboats: 14%**

## BOATING ACCIDENT STATISTICSFIVE-YEAR (1999 – 2003) TREND

| Year | Accidents | Injuries | Fatalities |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1999 | 7,931 | 4,315 | 734 |
| 2000 | 7,740 | 4,355 | 701 |
| 2001 | *6,419 | 4,274 | 681 |
| 2002 | 5,705 | 4,062 | 750 |
| 2003 | 5,443 | 3,888 | 703 |

- * Amended reporting criteria, effective July.

## 2003 TOP-5 TYPES OF ACCIDENTS, INJURIES AND FATALITIES

** **

| Type of Accident | Accidents | Injuries | Fatalities |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Collision w/Vessel | 1,469 (1) | 1,063 (1) | 70 (3) |
| Collision w/ Fixed Object | 558 (2) | 491 (2) | 50 (4) |
| Capsizing | 514 (3) | 330 (5) | 206 (1) |
| Falls Overboard
 | 508 (4) | 353 (4)  | 201 (2) |
| Skier Mishap |  451 (5) | 466 (3) | 6  |
| Swamping | 274 | 61 | 41 (5) |

- Numbers in ( ) = rank

## 2003 CAUSE OF DEATH

** **

## 1999 - 2003 DROWNING DEATHS

** **

## INITIAL ASPECTS OF THE HIGHEST RISK

**FATALITIES**:
**481** of the 703 fatalities in CY 2003 _due to drowning_.
**DROWNINGS**:
**416** of the 481 drowning victims were _not wearing a PFD_.

## 2003 DROWNINGS BY TYPE OF ACCIDENT/PFD WEAR

** **

**2003 TYPES OF ACCIDENTS,****DROWNINGS & PFD WEAR **(con’t.)

**1999 - 2003 DROWNINGS/TYPE OF BOAT/****PFD WORN --**** ****NOT WORN**

**Open Mtr.**

**Rowboat**

**Canoe/Kayak**

**PWC**

**Cabin Mtr.**

**Other**

**Inflatable**

**Aux. Sail**

**Pontoon**

**Sail**

**Houseboat**

**Unknown**

**Airboat**

**1999 - 2003 DROWNINGS TYPE OF BOAT - PFD WEAR**

**2003 OBSERVED PFD WEAR RATE*    ****YOUTH  – UNDER 18 YEARS**
**ADULTS – 18 YEARS & OLDER**

- *JSI National PFD Wear Rate Observational Study -- 2003

**Row/Dinghy**

**Runabout/Speed**

**Inflat./Raft**

**Cabin Sail**

**Pontoon**

**Cabin Mtr.**

**Houseboat**

**Sailboard**

**Canoe**

**Day Sail**

**Skiff/Utility**

**Kay****ak**

**PWC**

**2003 DROWNINGS AGE OF VICTIM**

**AGE OF VICTIM**

**2003 DROWNINGS BOATS 16’ & UNDER**** PFD WORN --**** ****NOT WORN**

**BOAT LENGTH**

**2003 DROWNINGS BOATS 17’ TO 28’**** PFD WORN --**** ****NOT WORN**

**BOAT LENGTH**

## 2003 - DROWNINGSBOAT LENGTH & PFD WEAR

## 2003 - DROWNINGSBOAT LENGTH & PFD WEAR

## 2003 - DROWNINGSBOAT LENGTH & PFD WEAR

## 2003 - DROWNINGSBOAT LENGTH & PFD WEAR

**1999 - 2003**** ****DROWNINGS/BOATS 28’ & UNDER/****PFD WORN --**** ****NOT WORN**

**1999 - 2003 DROWNINGS / BOATS 28’ & UNDER – RUNNING TOTALS**** PFD WORN --**** ****NOT WORN**

**1999 - 2003 DROWNINGS BOATS 15’ & UNDER RUNNING TOTALS**

**1999 - 2003 DROWNINGS BOATS 16’ TO 28’ RUNNING TOTALS**

## KEY ASPECTS OF THE HIGHEST RISK

**FATALITIES:** Due to _drowning_.
**DROWNINGS:** _PFDs were not worn_ by victims.
**BOATS:**  Various _boat lengths_, particularly those less than 21’.
- Possible types of boats include open motorboats, canoes/kayaks and rowboats.

## 2003 - POTENTIAL LIVES SAVED DUE TO PFD WEAR

| Length 
Of Vessel | Fatalities Due to Drowning | % Of 
Total Drowning
(481) | Potential Lives Saved
(Drowning victims - PFD not worn) (84% of Drowning Fatalities) | 703
Total Fatalities
 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Less than 16’ | 
209 | 
43% | 
176
 | 25% Reduction in Total Fatalities |
| Less than 21’ | 
343 | 
71% | 
294

  (includes  <16’)
 | 42% Reduction in Total Fatalities
 |

## THE NEXT STEPS...

- Follow through with National Boating Safety Advisory Council (NBSAC) recommendation to increase PFD Wear Rate on High-risk Vessels (Under 21’ LOA) through identified strategies.
- Intermediate Goals*:
- 2003 overall measured PFD wear rate:	22%.
- 2005 target overall PFD wear rate:	27.5%.
- 2006 target overall PFD wear rate:	33%.
- 2007 overall PFD wear rate goal:		44%.
- NBSAC will “evaluate the reports at each meeting and be expected to recommend whatever other measures they deem necessary to significantly increase PFD wear.”**

## “A mind once stretched by a new idea never returns to its original dimensions.”

- “A mind once stretched by a new idea never returns to its original dimensions.”