Safe Boating Week began Saturday – and state officials are urging boaters to stay safe on the waters this summer.

Safe Boating Week began Saturday – and state officials are urging boaters to stay safe on the waters this summer.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is keying in on three core messages as it gears up for a busy summer boating season: stay alert, wear your life jacket and don’t drink and operate a boat.

In 2018 there were 628 reported boating accidents in Florida waters leading to 59 deaths.

Franklin County ranked 25^th in the state in the number of boating accidents last year with 5; those led to one fatality and 1 injury.

Those accidents also caused over 150 thousand dollars in damage.

Gulf County reported 1 boating accident last year - there was one injury and no deaths.

Wakulla County reported 1 boating fatality in 2018.

The two largest contributors to boating deaths in Florida are alcohol and not wearing a life jacket.

32% of the fatal accidents in Florida were falls overboard.

Boaters falling overboard remains the leading type of boating fatality.

The leading cause of death in fatal boating accidents was drowning - about 50 percent of last years fatalities were drowning.

Alcohol or drug-use is reported to have played a role in 19% of boating fatalities .

86% of the victims of fatal boating accidents last year were men, 82% were age 36 or older and 82% of all vessels involved in fatal accidents in 2018 were 21 feet in length or less. 

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