6 water safety tips amid boating deaths, with alcohol a leading factor in tragedy

Hundreds of lives are lost each year on U.S. waterways due to recreational boating accidents that can be prevented, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. 

Last summer, 564 deaths and 2,126 non-fatal injuries from boating accidents were reported, according to a May press release from the U.S. Coast Guard — with the highest number of deaths occurring in the summer months of July and August.

Alcohol was noted as the leading factor in those deaths, contributing to 17% of total fatalities.

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Intoxication also played a role in 13% of all non-fatal boating injuries and property damage, which totaled $63 million in 2023.

"That’s why I never go on a boat on a weekend in the summer," Mike from Long Island, New York, who did not want to share his last name, told Fox News Digital. 

Hundreds of lives are lost each year on U.S. waterways due to recreational boating accidents that can be prevented, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.  (iStock)

"I know more people will be on the water and likely drinking." 

He said that while spending time on the water with family and friends, he's witnessed boaters driving erratically and speeding with an alcoholic beverage in hand. 

Deadly consequences

Just as with driving drunk on the road, boating under the influence is illegal and can have deadly consequences, water safety experts told Fox News Digital.

Alcohol is known to cause impaired judgment, balance, coordination and reaction time — all of which can put boat operators and their passengers at risk for accidents and fatalities.

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It can also impact vision, leading to "decreased peripheral vision, reduced depth perception, decreased night vision, poor focus, and difficulty in distinguishing colors (particularly red and green)," according to the Coast Guard’s website.

"Alcohol and drug use on the water can be more hazardous than on land, as the combination of the marine environment motion, vibration, engine, noise, sun, wind and spray accelerates a user’s impairment," Megan Ferraro, executive director of The ZAC Foundation, a water safety organization in Greenwich, Connecticut, told Fox News Digital.

Alcohol is known to cause impaired judgment, balance, coordination and reaction time — all of which can put boat operators and their passengers at risk for accidents and fatalities. (iStock)

"Alcohol consumption on the water also increases the likelihood of dangerous behaviors, such as swimming while intoxicated, falling overboard or capsizing the boat," she went on. 

"It can also increase the risk of hypothermia in the water."

"Alcohol and drug use on the water can be more hazardous than on land."

Drinking while boating or swimming is a lethal combination, Ferraro said — especially among young adults.

Among recreational water deaths involving U.S. adolescents, 30% to 70% occur while drinking alcohol and swimming or boating, she stated.

A boat operator with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) above 0.10% is more than 10 times as likely to die in a boating accident compared to an individual who did not consume alcohol, according to a Coast Guard estimate. 

Among recreational water deaths involving U.S. adolescents, 30% to 70% occur while they're drinking alcohol and swimming or boating, an expert said. (iStock)

Alcohol also contributes to nearly a third of drownings each year, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported.

"For lots of people, summer is a time to get outside and enjoy activities with friends and family," Dr. George F. Koob, PhD, director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), said in a comment to Fox News Digital.

"Sometimes these activities involve alcohol."

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Alcohol can put a damper on summer festivities, Koob warned — "from increasing the risk of sunburns to causing boating accidents and drownings."

Boating under the influence of alcohol or drugs (BUI) is illegal in every state, the Coast Guard  also said.

Penalties can include fines, loss of boating privileges and even jail time.

6 tips for staying safe on the water

Besides alcohol consumption, the Coast Guard report also cited factors like operator inattention or inexperience, improper lookout, excessive speed, and failure of machinery as contributing factors in boating accidents.

The U.S. Coast Guard estimates that life jackets could have saved the lives of more than 80% of boating fatality victims. (iStock)

The U.S. Coast Guard website and water safety experts offered the below tips for staying safe while boating.

1. Avoid alcoholic beverages

Designating a "sober captain" will help to ensure the safety of everyone on board and potentially others on the water, experts agreed.

The U.S. Coast Guard recommends that operators take a boating safety course. (iStock)

"This person must refrain from consuming alcohol or drugs and always remain alert and capable of piloting the vessel safely," Ferraro said.

Koob also recommended avoiding alcoholic beverages while piloting a boat, driving a car, exploring the wilderness, and swimming or surfing.

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Bringing along non-alcoholic beverages will help keep everyone refreshed and deter passengers and the boat operator from drinking alcohol, Ferraro added.

"Having no alcohol while aboard is the safest way to enjoy the water, as intoxicated passengers are also at risk of injury and falls overboard," the Coast Guard said on its website.

2. Remain vigilant

"Boaters should remain vigilant on the water, as most incidents occur when you might least expect them – in good visibility, calm waters and little wind," Capt. Amy Beach, director of inspections and compliance at the U.S. Coast Guard, said in a May 2024 news release.

A boat operator with a blood alcohol concentration above 0.10% is more than 10 times as likely to die in a boating accident.

The most frequent events involve collisions with other vessels, objects or groundings, she pointed out — "which is why it is so important to keep a proper lookout, navigate at a safe speed, adhere to navigation rules and obey navigation aids."

3. Wear US Coast Guard-approved life jackets  

The U.S. Coast Guard estimates that life jackets could have saved the lives of more than 80% of boating fatality victims, according to its website. 

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Accidents can occur at high speeds on the water, leaving little time to reach for a stowed life jacket, the organization added.

4. Perform a vessel safety check 

This will ensure the boat is operating properly, the Coast Guard advised.

The operator should also ensure that passengers are aware of propeller hazard areas and should account for passengers and children.

Passengers should not be permitted to ride where they can fall overboard.

If someone falls overboard, the Coast Guard recommends stopping the boat and making sure the area is clear to start the recovery process. (iStock)

If small children will be on board, experts recommend babyproofing or childproofing the boat just as you would at home.

5. Ensure safe pickups

If someone falls overboard, the Coast Guard recommends stopping the boat and making sure the area is clear to start the recovery process.

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Never put a boat in reverse to pick someone up out of the water, the agency states.

Instead, the operator should keep the person visible at all times and circle around going forward.

6. Consider taking a boating safety course

The U.S. Coast Guard recommends on its website that operators take a boating safety course. These courses are offered throughout the country, via organizations such as the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, U.S. Power Squadron and many state boating agencies.

Fox News Digital reached out to the U.S. Coast Guard for comment.