2019-Jan-08
OPP 2018 Boating Fatality Statistics – Plan ahead and save a life
Here is the update on OPP investigated boating fatalities for 2018. So why should people be aware of this?
Since we began reporting this, over the last two years there are at least 50 people that would be alive had they listened to the lessons these senseless tragedies impart. Planning ahead before you’re on the water could make all the difference.
2018 was another year of senseless tragedies on Ontario’s waters. While the number of fatalities did decline from last year there were still 19 incidents that claimed 23 lives.
Saturday and Mondays were the worst days of the week with 7 and 5 accidents respectively.
20 incidents occurred in the afternoon to midnight. June was the worst month with 8 fatalities, July had 3, August had 2, September had 3, and October had 5.
A bit of a surprise was that the most fatalities ( 9 ) were in the 55-64 age group.
In the past there tended to be more deaths in the 20s and over 70 cohorts.
Also surprising was that impairment was a factor in only 1 out of 23(5 were listed as “had been drinking”, 9 were listed as “normal” and 7 were listed as “unknown” (pending toxicology if it was ordered by a coroner)).
It’s not surprising that 20 of the 23 fatalities were male.
It’s not surprising that 19 of 23 of the fatalities were in human powered or small fishing boats.
And finally, it’s not surprising that 21 out of 23 fatalities were not wearing life jackets.
These accidents represent tragic loss of life! And what’s worse is that they were preventable.
The best solution.. wear PFDs! It really is that simple. And even if you can’t bring yourself to wear a PFD please insist that children and seniors and weak swimmers and health challenged friends and family members do. And make sure the PFD is properly fitted.
Remember… Think twice before you depart.
Small and/or unpowered boats are not safer!
Don’t stand in boats away from the dock. Ever!!
Extra vigilance is not only necessary at night.
Have the required safety equipment. Tell someone where you are going and how long you expect to be.
Bring a means of communication if at all possible.
Watch the weather. This is especially true in the spring and fall where the weather is more unpredictable and there are fewer people present if you do get in trouble.
Cold water is a killer. Check out the cold water awareness link from Canadian Safe Boating Council. https://csbc.ca/en/cold-water-awareness If you’re boating in cold water, it’s as simple as making sure not to overload your boat, avoiding situations where you may fall overboard and, of course, making sure that everyone is wearing a Canadian approved lifejacket. The extra heavy clothing we wear during the colder weather could literally kill us if we go overboard.