Boating Accident Statistics

All Data & Statistics are Sourced and Updated to the latest available data from the following sources:

U.S. Coast Guard
US Fish & Wildlife Service National Survey
National Marine Manufacturers Association Impact Study

Boating Statistics: Essential Data for Journalists & Researchers

The latest recreational boating statistics from the U.S. Coast Guard provide crucial insights into accident trends, fatalities, and contributing factors. Below, you'll find key takeaways and in-depth analysis to help inform your coverage.

Overview Boating Statistics (2023)

Total Accidents: 3,844
Fatalities: 564
Injuries: 2,126
Property Damage: $63 million
Fatality Rate: 4.9 deaths per 100,000 registered vessels (9.3% decrease from 2022)
Most Common Fatality Cause: Drowning (75% of fatalities)
Most Dangerous Activity: Boating without a life jacket (87% of drowning victims were not wearing one)

Economic Impact of Boating in the U.S. (2023)

Category	Amount
Total Economic Impact of Recreational Boating	$230 billion
Jobs Supported by the Boating Industry	812,000
Number of Marine Businesses	36,000

Source: National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) 2023 Economic Impact Study

Boating Participation in the U.S. (2022)

Category	Value
Total U.S. Motorized Boaters (2021)	47.3 million
Total U.S. Motorized Boaters (Age 6+)	46.2 million
Percentage of U.S. Adults Who Participated in Boating	Approximately 18%

Source: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 2022 National Survey

Top Causes of Boating Accidents

Cause	Accidents	Fatalities	Injuries
Operator Inattention	586	33	323
Improper Lookout	421	30	284
Operator Inexperience	414	44	200
Excessive Speed	299	26	214
Alcohol Use	211	79	201

Accidents by Vessel Type

Vessel Type	Accidents	Fatalities
Open Motorboats	45%	44%
Personal Watercraft	19%	8%
Kayaks	--	17%
Cabin Motorboats	13%	--

Boating Fatalities by Month

Month	Fatal Accidents	Total Deaths
January	27	30
February	9	9
March	33	35
April	34	38
May	56	57
June	63	64
July	110	114
August	72	78
September	47	53
October	42	47
November	24	27
December	12	12

State-by-State Boating Fatality Rates

Explore detailed state-level data on boating fatalities and accident rates in our full report.

Boating Incidents Per Capita by State

State	Population (Millions)	Number of Incidents	Incidents per Million
Florida	22.2	720	32.43
Alaska	0.7	22	31.43
Arkansas	3.1	58	18.71
Louisiana	4.6	85	18.48
South Carolina	5.3	94	17.74
Missouri	6.2	93	15.00
Michigan	10.0	132	13.20
North Carolina	10.8	134	12.41
Wisconsin	5.9	73	12.37
Texas	30.3	275	9.08
Ohio	11.7	121	10.34
New York	19.8	157	7.93
Pennsylvania	12.9	99	7.67
Illinois	12.5	98	7.84
Georgia	11.0	112	10.18
Virginia	8.8	91	10.34
California	39.0	340	8.72
Minnesota	5.8	76	13.10
Indiana	6.8	42	6.18
Oklahoma	4.0	56	14.00
Alabama	5.1	87	17.06
Tennessee	7.1	105	14.79
Colorado	5.9	27	4.58
Washington	7.9	84	10.63
Massachusetts	7.0	51	7.29
Maryland	6.2	66	10.65
Kentucky	4.5	59	13.11
Oregon	4.3	45	10.47
South Dakota	0.9	7	7.78
Montana	1.1	12	10.91
New Jersey	9.3	60	6.45
West Virginia	1.8	16	8.89
New Mexico	2.1	21	10.00
Arizona	7.5	65	8.67
Nevada	3.2	33	10.31
North Dakota	0.8	9	11.25
Connecticut	3.6	19	5.28
Mississippi	2.9	48	16.55
Idaho	2.0	20	10.00
Rhode Island	1.1	8	7.27
Delaware	1.0	11	11.00
New Hampshire	1.4	13	9.29
Hawaii	1.4	14	10.00
Vermont	0.6	6	10.00
Utah	3.5	39	11.14
Kansas	2.9	31	10.69
Nebraska	1.9	17	8.95
Wyoming	0.6	4	6.67

Source: U.S. Coast Guard Recreational Boating Statistics 2023

Boating Fatalities by Age Group & Gender

Age Group	Male Fatalities (%)	Female Fatalities (%)	Total Fatalities (%)
0-17	5%	2%	7%
18-35	25%	5%	30%
36-50	20%	5%	25%
51-65	18%	3%	21%
66+	15%	2%	17%

Source: U.S. Coast Guard Recreational Boating Statistics 2023

Most Common Boating Accidents

Accident Type	Number of Incidents	Fatalities
Collision with Vessel	950	35
Collision with Fixed Object	600	40
Falls Overboard	450	210
Capsizing	400	150
Grounding	350	12

Source: U.S. Coast Guard Recreational Boating Statistics 2023

Alcohol & Drug-Related Boating Accidents

Alcohol-related fatalities: 79 deaths (17% of all boating deaths)
Alcohol was the leading factor in: 211 accidents
Boating under the influence (BUI) is involved in: 1 in 5 fatal crashes

Source: U.S. Coast Guard Recreational Boating Statistics 2023

Impact of Life Jacket Use on Fatalities

Percentage of drowning victims not wearing a life jacket: 87%
Percentage of fatal accidents where life jackets were available but not worn: 60%
Highest non-compliance: Open motorboats & kayaks

Source: U.S. Coast Guard Recreational Boating Statistics 2023

Boater Education & Accident Prevention

75% of deaths occurred where the operator had no formal boating education.
Operators with no training are 5x more likely to be involved in an accident.
States requiring boating education see 20% fewer fatalities.

Source: U.S. Coast Guard Recreational Boating Statistics 2023

Accidents by Time of Day & Weather

Time of Day	Accidents	Fatalities
Morning (6 AM - 12 PM)	900	150
Afternoon (12 PM - 6 PM)	1600	250
Evening (6 PM - Midnight)	900	120
Overnight (Midnight - 6 AM)	250	44

Bad weather was a factor in: 14% of all boating accidents.
Fog and rain increased accident rates by: 20% compared to clear conditions.

Source: U.S. Coast Guard Recreational Boating Statistics 2023

Boating Accidents by Water Type

Water Type	Accidents	Fatalities
Lakes	1,500	180
Rivers	800	120
Coastal Waters	1,200	250
Open Ocean	300	90

Source: U.S. Coast Guard Recreational Boating Statistics 2023

Boating Accidents Trend (Last 5 Years)

Year	Total Accidents	Fatalities	Injuries
2019	4,168	613	2,559
2020	4,515	767	3,191
2021	4,439	658	2,641
2022	4,040	636	2,222
2023	3,844	564	2,126

Fatalities have decreased by 26% since 2020.
Injuries have dropped by 33% since 2019.
Accidents have steadily declined due to improved safety education.

Source: U.S. Coast Guard Recreational Boating Statistics 2023