South Carolina boating accidents are not uncommon nor should boating safety be taken lightly. Learn how to avoid accidents on the water and avoid a boating accident injury.

1. SouthCarolina
Water and Boating
Safety
A Look at Some Risks and Common Hazards to Make
Your Next Boat Outing a Safe One
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2. The BeautifulWaterways of
SouthCarolina
South Carolina boasts over 8,000
miles of river, 460,000 acres of
lakes and 3,000 miles of
coastline, making it one of the
best states for boating in
America. It’s also the 7th most
dangerous state for recreational
boating, a fact that highlights
the need for safety and an
awareness of the dangers we
face on waterways.

3. Types ofVessels Involved in
Accidents
From the U.S. Coast Guard Boating Safety Division:
• 47 percent of boating accidents and 47 percent of boating
accident deaths occur on open motorboats.
• After open motorboats, the vessels with the highest percentage
of deaths are canoes, at 13 percent, and kayaks, at 10 percent.
• 80 percent of boaters who drowned were using vessels less
than 21 feet long.

4. 5 Leading Causes for Boating
Accidents
Operator
Inattention
Improper
Lookout
Operator
Inexperience
Excessive
Speed
Alcohol Use

5. When DoAccidentsOccur?
• While most accidents occur when boating is most popular - July
having the highest number of accidents - accidents in winter
months are more likely to result in death.
• Nighttime is the most dangerous, with accidents occurring
between midnight and 2:30 a.m. being the most fatal. Hailey’s
Law, a bill named after a 21-year-old was killed when struck by
a speeding boat at 1 a.m., was proposed to restrict boaters to
travel at low, no-wake speeds after dark.

6. Drowning – SomeStartling
Numbers
• When cause of death was known,
drowning accounted for 78 percent of
boating accident deaths.
• Drowning is the second-leading cause of
accidental death in children aged 1-14, the
first being motor vehicle accidents.
• Drowning is the leading cause of accidental
death in boys aged 1-4, and the second in
girls aged 1-4.
• 60 percent of drowning deaths among
children happen in pools.
http://www.louthianlaw.com/drownings-
south-carolina/

7. Good Lifeguards MakeAll the
Difference
• The 10/20 rule states that a lifeguard must spot a swimmer in
trouble within 10 seconds and rescue that swimmer within 20
seconds.
• 30 minutes is the longest amount of time that a lifeguard can
realistically monitor a swimming area without missing
problems.The vigilance required to quickly scan a designated
area is mentally exhausting.
• 19 percent of all child drownings occur when a lifeguard is on
duty.

8. Never BeShort on Life Jackets
• When the use (or non-use) of life jackets
was reported, 84 percent of boating
accident drowning victims did not
wear a life jacket.
• The Handbook of South Carolina
Boating Laws states that all vessels
must have at least one Coast Guard-
approved life-jacket, properly sized, for
each person aboard.
• South Carolina law states that all
children 12 and under must be wearing
a Coast-Guard approved life jacket
while on a vessel.

9. AlcoholUse in Boating
• Alcohol use is involved in 21 percent of boating fatalities.
• Alcohol is the leading known contributing factor in
boating deaths.
• Nearly half of all boating accidents involved alcohol.
• South Carolina law prohibits the operation of a vessel on
state waters while on drugs and/or alcohol .

10. Carbon Monoxide Poisoning –An
Undetectable Killer
• CO poisoning results in
multiple deaths on boats
every year.
• CO is especially dangerous
because it is tasteless,
odorless and colorless.
• Common symptoms of CO
poisoning include
headache, dizziness,
weakness, nausea,
vomiting, chest pain and
confusion.

11. Who Might Be Legally Liable?
These parties might be legally responsible for
boating accidents:
• Intoxicated or reckless operators of boating vessels
• Owner of the boat involved in an accident, if not the
operator
• Boat manufacturer
• Boat rental company if responsible for improper
maintenance

12. If You orA LovedOne is theVictim
of a BoatingAccident…
You might have legal recourse. Since injured people are often at a
financial disadvantage, the Louthian Law Firm offer free
consultations to our potential clients.
Columbia, SC Law Offices
1116 Blanding Street, Suite 300
Columbia, South Carolina 29201
Toll free: 1-855-571-8019
Locally: 803-454-1200

13. Some Helpful Boating Resources
• The U.S. Coast Guard statistics on boating accidents
http://www.uscgboating.org/library/accident-statistics/Recreational-
Boating-Statistics-2014.pdf
• South Carolina Laws Governing Watercraft
http://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t50c021.php
• South Carolina Boating Education Courses
http://www.register-ed.com/programs/43
• Handbook of South Carolina Boating Laws and Responsibilities
https://www.boat-ed.com/assets/pdf/handbook/sc_handbook_entire.pdf