While the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s annual Recreational Boating Statistics for 2025 won’t be available until May, the 2024 statistics tell us all we need to know about what causes boating accidents and fatalities. I’ve been reporting on boating accident statistics for more than 10 years, and the most surprising trend is that there are really no trends. It’s the same story year after year. The 2024 data did show an uptick in accidents and fatalities, however. Despite having 5,858 fewer recreational vessels than in 2023, there were 26 more accidents and 22 more deaths in Florida waters last year-a record for Florida and the nation. Thankfully, although Lee County has the 3rd highest number of boats in Florida, it ranked 6th in accidents and suffered just one fatality in 2024.
With more than a million recreational vessels, Florida has by far the most boats, and sadly, the most accidents and deaths. Each year’s stats tell the same story: alcohol is the primary cause of most fatalities, but the simple act of failing to pay attention on the water was by far the main cause of accidents. Boaters can get lulled into a false sense of security when they are in open waters, but the truth is, things can happen fast on a boat. We have been teaching safe boating in Fort Myers since 1954. In our boating classes, we teach the importance of keeping a “Seaman’s Eye.” You need to maintain a 360-degree view of your surroundings at all times. And check your six! Other boaters often fly past you within feet of your gunwales, and sudden turns can lead to disaster.
Each year, in about 75% of fatal accidents, the victim was not wearing a life jacket. Life jackets save lives. In Florida, children under six must wear a PFD (Personal Flotation Device) at all times, but it’s never a bad idea for everyone to wear one. Most telling to me is this: up to three-quarters of operators involved in fatal accidents had never taken a safe boating course; yet 80% or more had over 100 hours of boating experience. FWC’s data showed that the boat operator most likely to be involved in a boating accident is a middle-aged or older male who has more than a hundred hours of boating experience yet has never taken a boating safety course. You don’t learn safe boating by going for a boat ride; you learn that in a classroom…