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 2019 there were 723 reported boating accidents in Florida waters leading to 66 deaths.

Franklin County ranked 24^th in the state in the number of boating accidents last year with 9; those led to two fatalities and 5 injuries.

Those accidents also caused nearly 48 thousand dollars in damage.

Gulf County reported 2 boating accidents last year - there was one injury and no deaths.

Wakulla County reported 2 boating fatalities in 2019.

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

40% 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 66 percent of last years fatalities were drowning.

Alcohol or drug-use is reported to have played a role in 32% of boating fatalities .

91% of the victims of fatal boating accidents last year were men, 68% were age 36 or older and 67% of all vessels involved in fatal accidents in 2019 were 21 feet in length or less. 

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