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The warmer temperatures and abundant sunshine we have been experiencing across the Tri-State Area means area residents again are turning to the outdoors for recreation.
Among the most popular activities during the summer months are boating and fishing. Both are fun ways to spend an afternoon, but both can lead to tragedy if proper precautions are not taken.
Lives are lost every year on waterways in our region, many because people fail to get proper education, take unnecessary risks or fail to follow safety procedures.
According to the Coast Guard's Recreational Boating Safety Statistics Report, there were 636 boating fatalities in 2022. The total number of accidents stood at 4,040, and the number of nonfatal injuries stood at 2,222. There were 11,770,383 recreational vessels registered in 2022, the Coast Guard added. Of those, 652,808 were registered in Ohio, 298,048 were registered in Pennsylvania and 53,857 were registered in West Virginia.
The Coast Guard reports that in 2022, Ohio saw 119 boating accidents, 17 fatalities and 30 persons injured. In Pennsylvania, there were 41 accidents, nine fatalities and 24 people injured. And, in West Virginia, there were 11 reported accidents, three fatalities and three people injured.
Those accidents also resulted in $2,690,970 in property damage in Ohio, $90,250 in Pennsylvania and $48,000 in West Virginia. May, June, July and August were the worst months for boating accidents last year -- 514 accidents resulting in 100 deaths were reported in May, 645 accidents resulting in 104 deaths were reported in June, 973 accidents resulting in 108 deaths were reported in July and 569 accidents resulting in 75 deaths were reported in August. A majority of accidents happen on Saturdays, and more than half occur between 10:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.
Whether it's on a lake, a stream, a pond, the Ohio River or one of the many creeks and streams that drain into it, a few common-sense precautions can save lives and make the outdoor experience safer for everyone.
Safety starts with personal flotation devices. It is the responsibility of boat operators to make sure there is at least one flotation device for each passenger and to make sure the devices are worn at all times. Parents or another responsible adult must take special care to ensure that the devices are properly fitted for children.
Accidents on and around the water can happen very quickly and rarely leave enough time for a person without a flotation device to properly put one on. A good safety rule for boaters is to wear a flotation device at all times, not just when the boat is in motion.
Those who enjoy fishing should wear their vests at all times. Many anglers will wear the devices until they reach their fishing spot and then remove them, a choice which can be dangerous. Remember, you can be thrown from a boat by rough water.
Vests save lives -- according to the Coast Guard report, 75 percent of the victims in fatal boating accidents drowned, and 85 percent of those victims were not wearing a life jacket.
Safety courses are a must for individuals who plan to spend time on the water. They offer information that has been proven to save lives. In fact, the report indicates that where the level of instruction was known, 74 percent of deaths occurred on boats where the operator did not receive boater safety instruction. Only 14 percent of deaths occurred on vessels where the operator had received a nationally-approved boating safety education certificate
Another factor that must not be overlooked is alcohol. It has no place in safe boating. Impaired boaters are as much a danger on the water as they are on city streets. Sadly, it is a factor in many serious boating accidents -- the Coast Guard reports that last year alcohol use was a contributing factor in 270 accidents, which resulted in 108 deaths and 204 injuries. In Ohio, alcohol was a factor in 10 accidents, two deaths and seven injuries; in Pennsylvania, it was a factor in five accidents, three deaths and two injuries; and in West Virginia, it was a factor in no accidents.
The top five primary factors in accidents, the Coast Guard said, included operator inattention, operator inexperience, improper lookout, excessive speed and machinery failure. The types of vessels that were involved in the greatest number of accidents were open motorboats (292 deaths and 1,450 total casualties); personal watercraft (54 deaths and 603 total casualties); and pontoons (54 deaths and 201 total casualties.)
Any watercraft with a motor needs to have an engine cut-off device. When properly installed and used, the device will shut the engine down if the operator or passenger should fall overboard. Remember, also, that gasoline engines on boats produce carbon monoxide, which can affect persons swimming at the rear of the vessel and those sitting along the platform.
And, if you are using a paddleboard or similar device, remember to always make sure the safety leash is properly attached to your ankle or calf.
A positive attitude toward safety is a must for everyone who uses the water, and by taking some simple precautions, the recreation season can be safe and pleasurable for all residents of the Tri-State Area.