Coast Guard statistics on recreational boating safety are derived from State boating accident reports
The Safety Board examined 1,739 PWC accident reports for accidents that occurred during an 18-month period, January 1996 through June 1997. For accidents that occurred in 1997, the Safety Board analyzed injury information for persons involved in PWC accidents. A summary of the 1997 and 1996 data sources by State is shown in appendix D. Coast Guard statistics on recreational boating safety are derived from State boating accident reports. It is the operator’s responsibility to report an accident, but marine law enforcement officers patrol waterways, investigate accidents, and also file boating accident reports.
Current regulations in Title 33 Code of Federal Regulations (33 CFR) Part 173 require the operators of recreational boats, including PWC, to file a boating accident report to State boating law officials if the vessel is involved in an accident that results in (1) loss of life, (2) personal injury requiring more than immediate first aid medical treatment, (3) complete loss of vessel or property damage exceeding $500, or (4) the disappearance of any person on board a vessel. Operators use Coast Guard form CG- 3865 to report a boating accident. For PWC accidents that occurred between January and June 1997,26 the Safety Board requested that State marine accident investigators complete a supplemental questionnaire prepared by the Safety Board specifically for this study.
The goal of the supplemental questionnaire was to obtain additional information concerning the accident characteristics and details concerning personal injury that have not previously been available from State boating accident reports. State accident reports and supplemental information were the sources of the Safety Board’s accident information. For the January–June 1997 period, the Safety Board received boating accident reports and questionnaire responses from 37 participating States and Territories. Boating accident reports were not always accompanied by supplemental questionnaires. Also, because of concerns over personal privacy issues, five jurisdictions27 did not provide the Safety Board with copies of their boating accident reports but did provide supplemental questionnaires.
