[Psml] Boating accidents

[Bob S.]

Seems to me that the CG has published data each year that indicates that 
boating fatalities are lower in the group that have had some formal 
boater education.

Phil Arcuni wrote:

>Accidents have been sort of flat for the last few years. Statistics are only 
>useful when one has all the numbers. If a very large percentage of 
>"captains" have no formal training (as I suspect), this little piece of data 
>could be good news, rather than bad. While I have always wanted to believe 
>that classes prevent accidents, I asked the USCG for hard data as long as 
>ten years ago, and still I have not seen it. Perhaps it is not available 
>with any degree of statistical reliability.
>
>Nearly a ago a 13 year old in Key West ran into an anchored boat of 
>snorkelers, which had a flag up and was in open water. One snorkel was 
>killed, and the boater left the scene because his passenger was also 
>injured. He had a Florida Operator's Permit, but they are easy to get 
>without taking a formal class. I know he did not take the USPS class, and 
>suspect that he did not take the Auxiliary class. The youngster is in 
>long-term detention and the last I heard, there is a law suit pending.
>
>Does possession of a state-issued permit assume formal training? Not 
>necessarily in Florida, where anyone can pickup a free state manual, tear 
>out the last page, fill in the exam, mail it in, and receive an Operators 
>Permit (required only for anyone under 22 years old) by return mail.
>
>R/C Phil Arcuni, SN
>Key West
>Past SEO and DEO
>
>----- Original Message ----- 
>From: <uspsd3ronf at aol.com>
>To: <plarcuni at sprynet.com>
>Cc: "United States Power Squadrons Mailing List" <psml at usps.org>
>Sent: Sunday, August 26, 2007 3:40 PM
>Subject: [Psml] Boating accidents
>
>
>  
>
>>Quoted from The Boston Globe in "The Week" magazine, 31 August:
>>"Boating accidents are on the rise across the country, as 'captains' with 
>>more? money than skill take the helm of powerful motorboats. In 2006, 70 
>>percent of the 710 boaters killed were on vessels whose captains had no 
>>formal training."
>>I'm guessing that this information came from the most recent USCG report 
>>on boating safety.
>>P/D/C Ron Friedmann, AP
>>D3 
>>    
>>
>
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