ACE Recreational Marine Insurance Announces Top Ten Recreational Boating Tips
PHILADELPHIA, Jun 03, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Recreational boating activity soars during warm weather months, and so do boating incidents and injuries. According to the U.S. Coast Guard's "Boating Statistics 2008,"(1) the most recent year available, there are almost 13 million registered recreational boats in the United States. While overall boating fatalities slightly increased from 685 in 2007 to 709 in 2008, there were other key casualty factors related to boating safety activity. Approximately 4,800 boating accidents were reported, a slight decrease from nearly 5,200 in 2007, and close to 3,400 people required medical treatment beyond first aid, a slight decrease from nearly 3,700 in 2007. In addition, property damage exceeded $54 million, a slight increase from more than $53 million in 2007.
Though the statistics are sobering, the risk of boating injuries and accidents can be minimized. According to the U.S. Coast Guard, the majority of reported incidents involved factors that were within the control of boat operators. ACE Recreational Marine Insurance, one of the nation's largest recreational marine insurance providers, and part of the ACE Group, has again released its top ten list detailing tips to help recreational boaters stay safe, thus potentially reducing the number of preventable accidents that may occur each year.
