Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Welcome to Florida

State Perspective
Everything Starts with Statistics
Florida has ….
– more registered vessels than any other state
– 2nd longest coastline
– 3rd largest population
– year round boating season
– robust boating accident reporting system

Florida’s Boating Accident Statistical Report
• Published Annually
• Follows Florida Statute
requirements
• General reportability requirements
mimic CFR
• Slight differences between USCG
and Florida’s boating accident
numbers
BOATING ACCIDENTS STATISTICAL REPORT
I

What do we learn from Statistics?
Fatal accidents - 2017
– Male operators - 96%
– Operators over 35 years old - 75%
– Operators with over 100 hours boating experience – 67%
– Operators without boater education - 67%
– Type of accident-Falls Overboard - 41%
– Primary cause of death is drowning - 52%
– Not wearing a Life Jacket - 81%

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Life Jacket Outreach Efforts
• Partners with FWC
• Boating & Waterways
- Media Buys
• FWC Officers

Outreach-Partnerships
NASBLA, NSBC, USCG and Auxiliary, US Power
Squadron, and the list goes on…

Wear It Florida

Outreach Methods-Media Buys
• Radio -”Christmas Gift”
• TV/Cable -”Last Thing” “Kayak Safety” “Never Forgets”
• Online - Short Videos and Banners
• Print - Newspapers/Magazine
• Other

“Never Forgets” TV Spot

“Kayak Safety” TV Spot

“Last Thing” TV Spot

Measuring Effectiveness
• Media Retention Study
• JSI Observational Survey
–National and Florida specific
• Statistics - again

Online Media Retention Study
• 4 messages tested:
- Lifejacket, Operator awareness, BUI, Towed watersports
• Radio was the platform recognized by most survey participants.
• Life jacket and operator awareness messages were most likely to
cause boaters to take action.
- These two messages were highly relatable to the audiences.
• BUI messages were least relatable to audience.
33 29 28
67 71 73
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Total Wave 1 Total Wave 2 Total Wave 3
First of all, have you ever heard this
message?

Observational Life Jacket Survey
• JSI National wear rate increased nationally and in
Florida in 2016 and 2017.
• Wear rate in Florida lower than the national wear
rate.
• Florida has collected wear rate data for adults and
children in both saltwater and freshwater
environments.
• Our Florida wear rates showed seasonal differences.

Life Jacket Wear-Statistical Report
8
10
3
4
6
44
55
48
51
51
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
PFD Wear (Fatalities)
Fatal PFD Fatal No PFD
47
33
33
34
32
233
228
269
256
261
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
PFD Wear (Injured Persons)
Injured PFD Injured No PFD
280
283
324
203
296
1,450
1,255
1,332
1,519
1,519
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
PFD Wear (All Occupants)
PFD Worn No PFD

PFD Wear by Age 2017
2 6 5 4 7 84
15 19
53
84
90
0
20
40
60
80
100
0 - 6 7 - 16 17 - 21 22 - 35 36 - 50 51+
Injured Persons
PFD Worn No PFD
17
55
22
73 60 75
13
84
118
362
389
512
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
0 - 6 7 - 16 17 - 21 22 - 35 36 - 50 51+
All Occupants
PFD Worn No PFD

QUESTIONS?