This document summarizes boating safety statistics and outreach efforts in Florida. It notes that Florida has more registered vessels than any other state and outlines statistics on fatal boating accidents in 2017 that show most operators were male, over 35 years old, had over 100 hours of boating experience, lacked boater education, and 81% of deaths were from not wearing a life jacket. It then discusses Florida's life jacket outreach partnerships and media campaigns, and analyzes the effectiveness of these campaigns through surveys and by tracking the percentage of accidents where life jackets were worn, which remains lower in Florida than the national average.

1. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Welcome to Florida

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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%

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

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

7. Wear It Florida

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

9. “Never Forgets” TV Spot

10. “Kayak Safety” TV Spot

11. “Last Thing” TV Spot

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

13. 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?

14. 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.

15. 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

16. 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

17. QUESTIONS?