According to the U.S. Coast Guard, from 2013 to 2014, deaths increased from 560 to 610, an 8.9% increase, injuries increased from 2,620 to 2,678, a 2.2% increase and the total number of accidents increased from 4,062 to 4,064, a 0.05% increase nationally. Where the cause of death was known, 78% of fatal boating accident victims drowned; of those drowning victims, 84% were not wearing a life jacket. The most common types of vessels involved in reported accidents were open motorboats, personal watercraft and cabin motorboats. The vessel types with the highest number of fatalities were open motorboats, canoes and kayaks. Go here to read the entire USCG report.

How and when to file a boating accident report after a boat accident in the Toledo region

Federal law requires the operator – or owner, if the operator is deceased or unable to make the report – to file a boating accident report with the Ohio reporting authority when, as a result of an occurrence that involves a boat or its equipment:

• A person dies;
• A person disappears from the vessel under circumstances that indicate death or injury;
• A person is injured and requires medical treatment beyond first aid;
• Damage to vessels and other property totals $2,000 (lower amounts in some states and territories) or more;
• The boat is destroyed.

Go to this site to learn about filing a boating accident report.

Boating Laws in Ohio

Learn about the specific boating laws in Ohio by going to this site. Topics covered in the reference guide include boating education, operator age, water skiing, boat noise, numbering & titling, personal watercraft, boating under the influence, personal flotation devices and more.

Common causes of Toledo boating accidents include:

operator inexperience;

operator inattention;

passenger/skier behavior;

weather;

equipment failure;

reckless operation;

failure to yield;

excessive speed and alcohol use.

When someone is injured in a Toledo boating accident, what needs to happen next?

When someone is injured, it is crucial to get appropriate medical treatment, regardless of the financial cost. The major hospitals in the area include:

• ProMedica Toledo Hospital;
• University of Toledo Medical Center;
• ProMedica Bay Park Hospital.

As soon as possible, an injured person should contact their insurance company to find out how medical treatment is covered under their insurance policy.

When an accident is serious or fatal, get help from an experienced Toledo accident lawyer

When an injury is serious or a death occurs, the next step is to find an experienced Toledo accident attorney to start the financial recovery process by launching an insurance claim. Major injury or wrongful death claims are complicated and difficult to manage. Having a great Toledo personal injury lawyer on board is a great relief to injured people, or to the family left behind when an accident proves fatal.