San Diego Sees Decline in Boating Accidents
San Diego has some of the best waters for boating in the United States. San Diego Bay and Mission Bay are home to thousands of boats used for sailing, power boating, water-skiing, fishing, and other activities.
With so many people in the water, accidents will eventually happen. San Diego had a relatively high rate of boating accidents in the past, but reports show that fewer accidents have occurred in recent years.
Statistics on San Diego Boating Accidents
California’s Division of Boating and Waterways reported a dramatic decline in boating accidents from 2005 to 2015. In 2005, there were 87 boating accidents in San Diego County. Last year, there were only 55 accidents reported. This is a decrease of more than 33%.
Over the 10-year period the organization studied, individuals reported 742 total boating accidents resulting in 469 injuries, 27 deaths, and $7.5 million in property damage. With only 42 reported boating accidents, 2012 was a record low. Since then, numbers have risen slightly. Collisions between water vehicles were the most common types of accident reported in San Diego County during this period. Individuals also frequently reported capsizing, running aground, and flooding.
Jim Dreher, who works for the San Diego Harbor Police as a bay control officer, wants people to remember that these numbers only include reported accidents, because as many as 20% of nonfatal accidents go unreported.
The declining number of boating accidents in San Diego is part of a statewide trend. Accidents across California have dropped by roughly one-third in the last decade, down from 800 accidents in 2005.
Possible Reasons for Fewer Accidents
Lynn Sadler, who is the deputy director of the Division of Boating and Waterways at the California Department of Parks and Recreation, cannot give one certain reason for the decline in reported boating accidents – but she does have a few theories.
She believes that part of the decline is due to the success of safety outreach campaigns that have attempted to teach people more about boating accidents and how to prevent them. “We spend millions of dollars on water safety,” Sadler stated, “so we hope that is contributing to the decline in accidents.”
She also believes that part of the decrease has to do with fewer boats being on the water. The number of boats registered in San Diego County dropped from 61,500 in 2008 to 57,000 in 2015.
California Boating Accident Information
The California Department of Boating and Waterways defines a boating accident as an incident involving a water vehicle that results in a person’s death; disappearance or injuries requiring medical treatment beyond first aid; or an incident that results in at least $500 in property damage.
Different types of water vehicles are more likely to be involved in accidents. The most common three are:
- Open motorboats (46% of accidents)
- Personal watercraft (22%)
- Closed motorboats (14%)
Boating accidents come in many forms and situations. These include:
- Boat capsizing
- Person(s) falling overboard
- Collisions between vehicles or a vehicle and another object
- Fires
- Vessels that sink or flood
- Vehicle explosions
- Disappearances of people or entire vehicles
Safety tips boat passengers should know:
- Always wear a life jacket.
- Never drink and go boating.
- Enroll in boating safety courses.
- Always know and obey boating safety recommendations and navigational rules.
- Know and be prepared for the weather.
- Keep boats at a safe speed and be aware of other nearby vessels.
- Get a free boat safety check from the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary.
- Always make sure that someone knows your float plan before you go on the water.
Fewer boating accidents (for whatever reason) in San Diego (and across California) is a good thing. People going out on the water are better educated about boat safety can rest easy knowing that they are less likely to have an accident.