Non-commercial, accidental water transport (boating) fatalities

Abstract

A study of non-commercial accidental water transport (boating) fatalities was performed on the case files of the Office of the Medical Examiner of Metropolitan Dade County in Miami, Fla., during the years 1980-1984. A total of 23 cases were collected and analyzed as to the age, race, sex, and the cause of death of the victim along with the blood alcohol content and the Urine EMIT drug screen at autopsy. Furthermore, the type of boat involved, the geographic locale, the time of the incident, the reason or risk factor for the incident, and the scene circumstances were also noted. Commonly, one is dealing with a male population below the age of 30 years who die of drowning. In approximately half of the cases alcohol is detected. The scenario involves "small" boats or canoes in the Atlantic Ocean or in canals in the afternoon or evening. Inexperience in boating/or stupidity plays a key role. A discussion ensues concerning recommendations designed to avoid such tragedies.

Under What Circumstances Do People Drown? Encoding the Fourth Component of the 4W Model

“…A retrospective study (n = 90, ages less than 12 years old, between 01/1991-12/2000) of children admitted at hospitals with the diagnosis of drowning, revealed that the time with the highest incidence of drowning was 12-6 p.m. (Tapadinhas, Anselmo, Rocha, Barros, & Maio, 2002). A study that examined noncommercial water transport (boating) fatalities from 1980 to 1984 (n = 24) found that the time of occurrence was during afternoon in 15 (or 65.2%) of the cases (Copeland, 1986).…”

Survival of immersions during recreational boating events in Alaska, 1999–2004

“…Several studies have estimated that alcohol use is involved in about 25% to 50% of adolescent and adult deaths associated with water recreation in the US (Howland et al, 1996;Howland et al, 1990;Copeland, 1986). Drinking history is strongly associated with the risk of drowning.…”

Documenting Maritime Accidents of Recreational Vessels in the Republic of Croatia

“…From the U.S. Coast Guard 2020 Recreational Boating Statistics it is visible how operator inexperience together with operator inattention accounts for the largest number of accidents [10]. Arthur R. Copeland analyzes [11] the inexperience of boaters as a key role in accidents and provides recommendations on how to avoid them. Data that are often omitted in the MRCC when accidents are being recorded is the nationality of boaters.…”