62 Proceedings | Vol. 83, No. 1 the three surveys shows an average annual growth of more than 1.5 million boaters each year, suggesting there are approximately 95 million recreational boaters in the United States today. Auxiliary members help keep them safe by engaging with the boating community, educating boaters via for- mal and informal educational opportunities, and when necessary, rescuing boaters through search and rescue operations. Engaging, educating, and, when necessary, rescuing boaters is easy to say. However, when the numbers are considered, the scope of the challenge seems overwhelm- ing. More than 90 million boaters are served by fewer than 20,000 Auxiliary members—a ratio of more than 4,500 boaters to 1 Auxiliarist. To achieve the Auxiliary’s core safety mission requires each member’s dedication, hard work, and skill. However, achieving that mission also requires an understanding of boating accidents and why they happen so that prevention and response efforts can be effectively focused, turning an overwhelming challenge into an achievable mission. Boating Accident Research The Coast Guard’s Boating Safety Division annually pub- lishes recreational boating statistics, describing types of accidents across all types of vessels, contributing factors that lead to boating accidents, and other factors—weather and water conditions—associated with the accidents. Additional information is available through the Boating Accident Reporting Database. Other organizations, like American Whitewater, also publish information regard- ing boating accidents. These resources allow researchers and boating safety professionals to investigate boating accidents and then develop evidence-based, data-driven prevention and response strategies. Research conducted by Auxiliary members and pub- lished in the Coast Guard Auxiliary journal RBS Job One presents a clear picture when all types of boats are con- sidered. • Collisions are the most common type of boating accident reported but cause only a small fraction of all boating fatalities. • Unexpected entry into the water by capsizing or falling overboard is the most common type of fatal boating accident. • Most boating fatalities are due to drowning. • Most drowning subjects are not wearing life jackets. • Most boating fatalities occur when the vessel’s operator has no boating education. • Most boating fatalities occur in good weather, when winds are less than 15 knots, wave height is less than 2 feet—0.6 meters—weather is clear, and visibility is greater than 5 miles. For example: • In some years, more than half of boaters who died while aboard inflatable boats and whitewater kayaks were wearing a life jacket. • Whether the vessel operator had any type of boating education is unknown in approximately half of all boating fatalities. Where known, approximately 27% of open motorboat operators involved with fatalities had received some type of boating education. In contrast, less than 10% of those involved in kayaking fatalities had obtained boating education. • Aboard pontoon boats, approximately half of the fatalities involve voluntary departure from the vessel and more than a third involve alcohol consumption. • Personal watercraft are the only vessel type where traumatic injury, rather than drowning, is the leading cause of death. They’re also the only craft where collision is the most common type of fatal accident. • Understanding these types of nuances is an essential part of creating effective boating safety interventions. The two most important takeaway messages from boating accident research may be that nearly all fatal boating accidents are due to human factors—decisions made and actions taken by boaters—and that nearly all fatal boating accidents are preventable. However, different vessel types have unique patterns. Students practice re-entering capsized kayaks after retrieving them during joint Auxiliary-American Canoe Association training events at Missouri’s Smithfield Lake. Photo by Auxiliarist Julie Carey
