Boating accidents lead to hundreds of deaths each year

While all Americans are aware of the dangers of driving while intoxicated on the roads, it is also worth taking into consideration that boating accidents claim hundreds of lives and injure thousands throughout the United States, including victims from the Baton Rouge and New Orleans, Louisiana area, every year. Considering that there are far fewer boats on the water at any given time, and there is more space on the waters than on the roads, many hazards can be overlooked.

A report last year by the U.S Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Coast Guard and Office of Auxiliary and Boating Safety sheds some light on potential for hazards and accidents while on the waters. As is often the case on the roads, negligence often plays a role in an accident on the waters.

In fact, among the most common contributing factors in an accident were operator inattention, operator inexperience, improper lookout and excessive speed. Unfortunately, riding while intoxicated often plays a role as well, and can hurt not only those on their own boat, but others on the waters as well.

If you have been involved in any type of injury-causing accident, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries. Whether it was a car, truck, motorcycle or drunk driving accident, it may be in your best interests to reach out to a local firm familiar with personal injury to learn how they can help you. Many work on a contingency basis, meaning you owe them nothing unless they win your case.

Source: U.S. Coast Guard, “Recreational Boating Statistics, 2015,” Accessed May 22, 2017