Statistics: Fatal Boating Accidents 2001-2005

General Statistics

  2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
Reportable
Fatalities		 19
17 male		 21
all male		 19
18 male		 7
all male		 12
all male
Number of Incidents 17 19 17 7 11
Number that occurred
in boats under 18'		 10 15 7 3 9
Average Boat Length 17'4" 16' 20'6" 21'9" 16'
Average Age of Victim 40 43 44 43 40
Age Range 22 to 77 17 to 77 9 to 75 13 to 70 15 to 65

Type of Accident

  2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
Fall overboard 6 8 5 2 6
Capsize 3 3 6 1 3
Flood/Swamp 2 4 1 - -
Collision - 3 1 - -
Sinking 1 - - - -
Fire/Explosion - - 1 - -
Struck by propeller 1 - - 1 -
Struck by vessel - - - - -
Ejected from vessel - - - - -
Person left vessel 3 3 2 2 2
Skier mishap - - - - -
Other/Unknown 1 - 1 1 -

Lifejackets

  2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
Not Worn or Not Worn Correctly 13 18 15 7 12
None Onboard 3 5 3 - 4
Not Enough Onboard - 2 1 - -

Cause of Death

  2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
Drowning 16 18 14 4 10
Injuries 1 1 3 2 -
Cold Water / Hypothermia - 2 4 - -
Other / Unknown 2 - 2 1 2

Contributing Factor (may be more than one)

  2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
Alcohol / Drug Use 9 8 1 3 4
Cold Water / Hypothermia 5 1 2 1 3
Hazardous Waters - - 7 1 -
Sitting / Standing in an Undesignated Area - 2 - - -
Reckless Operation - 3 - - -
Passenger / Skier Behavior - - - - -
Anchor from Stern -   1 - -
Overloading - - - - -
Operator Inexperience - - - - -
Other / Unknown - - - - -

Type of Boat

  2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
Paddle Boat - 1 - - 1
Rowboat/Scull 2 3 - - 1
Canoe/Kayak 2 4 5 1 2
Inflatable 1 1 - - -
Sailboat 1 - - - -
Powerboat 11 9 10 6 7
PWC - 1 - - -
Pontoon - 1 1 - -
Other - - 1 - -

Fatalities by Type of Waterway

  2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
Lake 9 6 3 2 6
River 2 6 10 1 2
Pond 1 2 - - 2
Lake Erie 7 7 5 4 2
Ohio River - - 1 - -

Geographic Region of Ohio

  2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
Northeast 12 9 7 2 3
Northwest 1 7 5 3 2
East Central 1 1 - - 2
West Central 3 4 1 - 3
Southeast 1 - - - 1
Southwest 1 - 6 2 -

What Causes Boating Accidents?

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BOATING ACCIDENT STATISTICS

Accidents by County: 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010

Fatalities: 2001-2005, 2006-2010, 2011

Full Reports in PDF: 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010