According to a recent article in the Post Crescent, boating accident fatalities are on the rise in Wisconsin — five years in the last seven years fatalities were above 20. In 2017 alone, there were 106 boating accidents with 79 injuries and 25 deaths. By examining Wisconsin DNR data, the author was able to illustrate that inexperience (as a driver or paddler), excessive alcohol use and failing to wear a Coast Guard approved personal flotation device (PFD) are the major contributing factors to boating accident deaths.
Wisconsin DNR statistics from 2005 – 2017 reveal that 84 percent of boating accident victims who drowned were not wearing life jackets — and of that number, 92 percent were male. The article noted that at least 25 percent of boating accidents were alcohol related and that the figure is “likely higher”. He also noted that for those alcohol-related deaths where test results were available, the average blood alcohol content was 0.164 percent — more than twice the legal limit.
Another interesting trend? Most boating fatalities involve adult males who, according to the article, are less likely to take swimming lessons yet more likely to claim they are an “excellent” or “very good” swimmer. They also “drink significantly more than women while participating in water recreation” and are “nearly three times less likely to wear life jackets” than men who don’t drink.
Despite repeated warnings and safety campaigns, Wisconsin boaters fail to wear PFDs and yet most boating related deaths begin with someone simply going overboard. As Wisconsin’s waterways become more crowded with motorized and non-motorized watercraft (an estimated 1.26 million watercraft annually), it’s important that all boaters take safety precautions — complete boater safety courses, wear PFDs and limit alcohol intake.
