South Carolina Water and Boating SafetyA Look at Some Risks and Common Hazards to Make Your Next Boat Outing a Safe One

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The Beautiful Waterways of South CarolinaSouth Carolina boasts over 8,000 miles of river, 460,000 acres of lakes and 3,000 miles of coastline, making it one of the best states for boating in America. It’s also the 7th

most dangerous state for recreational boating, a fact that highlights the need for safety and an awareness of the dangers we face on waterways.

Types of Vessels Involved in AccidentsFrom the U.S. Coast Guard Boating Safety Division:

• 47 percent of boating accidents and 47 percent of boating accident deaths occur on open motorboats.

• After open motorboats, the vessels with the highest percentage of deaths are canoes, at 13 percent, and kayaks, at 10 percent.

• 80 percent of boaters who drowned were using vessels less than 21 feet long.

5 Leading Causes for Boating Accidents

Operator Inattentio

nImproper Lookout

Operator Inexperien

ceExcessive

SpeedAlcohol

Use

When Do Accidents Occur?• While most accidents occur when boating is most

popular - July having the highest number of accidents - accidents in winter months are more likely to result in death.

• Nighttime is the most dangerous, with accidents occurring between midnight and 2:30 a.m. being the most fatal. Hailey’s Law, a bill named after a 21-year-old was killed when struck by a speeding boat at 1 a.m., was proposed to restrict boaters to travel at low, no-wake speeds after dark.

Drowning – Some Startling Numbers

• When cause of death was known, drowning accounted for 78 percent of boating accident deaths.

• Drowning is the second-leading cause of accidental death in children aged 1-14, the first being motor vehicle accidents.

• Drowning is the leading cause of accidental death in boys aged 1-4, and the second in girls aged 1-4.

• 60 percent of drowning deaths among children happen in pools.http://www.louthianlaw.com/drownings-south-carolina/

Good Lifeguards Make All the Difference• The 10/20 rule states that a lifeguard must spot a

swimmer in trouble within 10 seconds and rescue that swimmer within 20 seconds.

• 30 minutes is the longest amount of time that a lifeguard can realistically monitor a swimming area without missing problems. The vigilance required to quickly scan a designated area is mentally exhausting.

• 19 percent of all child drownings occur when a lifeguard is on duty.

Never Be Short on Life Jackets• When the use (or non-use) of life

jackets was reported, 84 percent of boating accident drowning victims did not wear a life jacket.

• The Handbook of South Carolina Boating Laws states that all vessels must have at least one Coast Guard-approved life-jacket, properly sized, for each person aboard.

• South Carolina law states that all children 12 and under must be wearing a Coast-Guard approved life jacket while on a vessel.

Alcohol Use in Boating• Alcohol use is involved in 21 percent of boating

fatalities.

• Alcohol is the leading known contributing factor in boating deaths.

• Nearly half of all boating accidents involved alcohol.

• South Carolina law prohibits the operation of a vessel on state waters while on drugs and/or alcohol .

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning – An Undetectable Killer• CO poisoning results in

multiple deaths on boats every year.

• CO is especially dangerous because it is tasteless, odorless and colorless.

• Common symptoms of CO poisoning include headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, vomiting, chest pain and confusion.

Who Might Be Legally Liable?These parties might be legally responsible for boating accidents:

• Intoxicated or reckless operators of boating vessels

• Owner of the boat involved in an accident, if not the operator

• Boat manufacturer

• Boat rental company if responsible for improper maintenance

If You or A Loved One is the Victim of a Boating Accident…You might have legal recourse. Since injured people are often at a financial disadvantage, the Louthian Law Firm offer free consultations to our potential clients. Columbia, SC Law Offices1116 Blanding Street, Suite 300Columbia, South Carolina 29201Toll free: 1-855-571-8019Locally: 803-454-1200

Some Helpful Boating Resources• The U.S. Coast Guard statistics on boating accidents

http://www.uscgboating.org/library/accident-statistics/Recreational-Boating-Statistics-2014.pdf

• South Carolina Laws Governing Watercraft

http://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t50c021.php

• South Carolina Boating Education Courses

http://www.register-ed.com/programs/43

• Handbook of South Carolina Boating Laws and Responsibilities

https://www.boat-ed.com/assets/pdf/handbook/sc_handbook_entire.pdf