 BOAT TRAFFIC RAISES RISKS Palm Beach Post -- Thursday, May 10, 2001 By: Willie Howard, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer As the weather warms and more boaters head for the water in Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast, boat traffic congestion rises along with the risk of accidents. Florida boating deaths dropped to 46 last year from 58 in 1999, marking the first time in more than a decade that Florida did not lead the nation in boating fatalities. Although the lower number of deaths is encouraging, the statistics show that boating in Florida is serious business Ð especially on weekends and on waterways near densely populated urban areas. "The more congested the water gets, the more experienced you need to be," said Lt. Mark Warren, a boating safety specialist with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Palm Beach County ranked third-highest in boating accidents among Florida counties last year with 95 reported accidents, one fatality, 32 injuries and $458,400 in property damage. Martin County ranked 18th, with 19 reported accidents. St. Lucie County ranked 39th, with five reported accidents. Broward County reported the most boating accidents last year Ð 147 Ð followed by Monroe, with 145.) The causes of Florida boating accidents are predictable. They show up year after year. Careless operation is the leading cause. Failure to keep a proper lookout Ð simply not paying close enough attention to what's around the moving boat Ð ranks second. Inexperienced operators also account for a large percentage of the state's boating accidents. Ten boating deaths in Florida last year involved the use of alcohol or drugs. Bottom line: Some Florida boaters simply aren't careful enough, aren't educated enough and are too willing to risk the lives of themselves and others by boating under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Boaters who drink might not realize that exposure to sun, wind, vibration and the motion of a rocking boat magnifies the effects of alcohol to further slow reaction time, said Lt. Royce Hamilton of the FWC's Division of Law Enforcement. The U.S. Coast Guard says seven out of 10 boating accidents involve factors under the skipper's control. Simply put, too many skippers just aren't as careful as they should be. Keeping a safe lookout means being aware of the situation 360 degrees, around your boat, said Capt. Alan Richard, who analyzes more than 1,000 boating accidents a year as head of the FWC's Boating Safety and Waterway Management Section. "The most important lesson people can learn is to stay focused on what they're doing," Richard said. "Keep a complete 360-degree awareness. That's what a proper lookout is." Posted speed limits such as those in the parts of the Intracoastal Waterway are maximum speeds, Richard noted, and might not be safe for your vessel. It's the boat captain's responsibility to run at a safe speed at all times. Boaters who exceed speed limits and cause an accident can be forced to pay a $500 fine and spend up to 60 days in jail. Personal watercraft - water scooters - present recurring problems, said Capt. Steve Blissett, who reviews boating accident investigations for the FWC's South Region. Nearly half of all boating injuries in Florida last year were related to PWCs, and most of the state's PWC accidents occurred on rented or borrowed machines. A 20-year-old Pennsylvania man, Jakob Dollar, died Sunday after the rented water scooter he was riding collided with a boat in the Intracoastal Waterway near Old Port Cove in North Palm Beach. Having proper safety equipment on the boat and using it is important, too. A kill switch lanyard that shuts off the engine can help boaters avoid dangerous situations if they fall overboard. On the morning of April 23, Alonzo Coleman, 64, of Fort Pierce Ð apparently trying to repair his outboard engine Ð fell out of his 17-foot boat and tried to swim free as the boat circled him. The boat struck Coleman and cut his head and arm. He was pronounced dead later that morning at Lawnwood Regional Medical Center. National Safe Boating Week Events SATURDAY & SUNDAY: Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 54 holds open house, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Boat Club Park, east side of U.S. 1 just south of Gateway Boulevard, Boynton Beach. Free boat safety checks and equipment displays. Displays for kids include COASTIE, a remote-controlled boat that talks and answers questions. Free. Call (772) 738-7454. MAY 19: Open house at Coast Guard Station Lake Worth Inlet, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., 3300 Lakeshore Drive (on mainland side north of Blue Heron Bridge), Riviera Beach. Includes boating safety displays, rescue demonstrations and tours of the station. Free. Call (772) 844-4470. Free vessel safety checks offered at Phil Foster Park during the same hours. MAY 19: Open house at Coast Guard Station Fort Pierce, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., 900 Seaway Drive, Fort Pierce. Includes safety displays, tours and information provided by Fort Pierce police, Coast Guard Auxiliary and Power Squadron. Free. Call (772) 466-8591. MAY 19: Free boating safety course offered by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Manatee Observation and Education Center, 480 N. Indian River Drive, Fort Pierce. Pre-registration recommended. Call (772) 466-1600, Ext. 3071. MAY 19 & 20: Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 59 staffs boating safety booth and offers free vessel safety checks, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sandsprit Park, Port Salerno. MAY 19 & 20: Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 52 conducts free vessel safety checks - from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. - at the Burt Reynolds Park boat ramps in Jupiter and the Anchorage Park boat ramps in North Palm Beach. Boating safety tips Make sure you have Coast Guard approved life jackets of the correct size for each person on board. Make sure life jackets are accessible. Florida law requires children under 6 to wear life jackets at all times on boats 26 feet or less while the boat is moving. A throwable floatation device also is required on boats 16 feet or longer. Check to make sure you have emergency flares (in date), a horn or whistle, a fire extinguisher (in date), a paddle, a bailing bucket or pump, running lights, an anchor with rope and chain, registration papers and a current registration sticker. Have a mechanic check your boat periodically. Have a kill switch installed and clip the kill switch lanyard to your life jacket or trousers. If you fall out of the boat, the kill switch will stop the engine. Consider wearing a life jacket at all times while afloat. Suspender-type inflatable life jackets are cool and do not significantly restrict movement. Boaters planning to venture onto the ocean should have a VHF radio, navigation charts, a compass and spare drinking water. Those planning trips across the Atlantic to the Bahamas should consider a life raft, a ditching kit and an EPRIB (emergency signal transmitter). Prepare a float plan. Tell someone where you're going and when to expect you back. Even a short note will do for day trips. Check weather conditions before going. Listen to NOAA weather radio, call the National Weather Service in Miami at (305) 229-4522 or visit www.srh.noaa.gov/mia. Don't drink and drive a boat. If you drink, designate another experienced skipper to handle the boat. Keep an eye out for red-and-white dive flags and diver float buoys. Florida boaters are required to stay at least 300 feet away from diver-down flags in open water and 100 feet in inlets, channels and rivers. Those who approach closer should do so at idle speed. Flags on dive floats should measure 12 inches by 12 inches. Take a boating safety class from the FWC, the Coast Guard Auxiliary, the Power Squadron or another reputable provider. Information: (888) 367-8777 or (800) 368-5647. Florida law requires anyone born after Sept. 30, 1980, to obtain a Boating Safety Education Card. The free boating booklets are available at regional FWC offices or by writing to the FWC, Boating Safety Section, 620 S. Meridian St., Tallahassee, Fla., 32399. Test your knowledge. The United States Power Squadron and the U.S. Coast Guard offer an online boating skills test at www.nationalsafeboatingtest.com. BoatU.S. also offers an online course at www.boatus.com/foundation. To report a problem on the water, call 1-800-DIAL-FMP or radio the Coast Guard on VHF Channel 16. Copyright (c) 2001, The Palm Beach Post |