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Kenosha Personal Injury Lawyer

Causes Of Boating Accidents

Boat accidents are generally not insignificant accidents. In addition to the potential property damages, there can be a significant loss of life. Contrary to popular belief, the majority of boating accidents occur when the weather is calm and clear with a light wind.

In small boats, the major cause of death is drowning. This can be due to people being thrown overboard or the boat capsizing. In most of these cases, the people drown because they’re not wearing a personal flotation device (PFD). Even good swimmers can drown if they are unexpectedly tossed into the water.

Non-fatal accidents occur most frequently as a result of crashing into other boats or objects on and in the water. Because of this, boating rules require a look-out to be on the boat actively working to spot potential collisions and alert the boat’s captain of objects in the way.

Small boats in particular are prone to tipping and being unstable. When they tip, we call it capsizing. Capsizing can be caused by a variety of things including:

• Overloading
• Improper Weight Distribution
• Waves

Overloading occurs when there is too much weight on a boat for its size. This slows the boat down and reduces the amount of boat above the waterline. A low boat increases the possibility of swamping the boat or taking on water.

Improper weight distribution makes a boat unstable. When the boat is unstable, it is more likely to tip when a wave hits the boat or the boat hits another boat’s wake.

Waves are frequently a major factor in capsizing. Unexpected waves are notorious for tipping boats. It is therefore important to be aware of waves and aim the bow of the boat into the waves.

If you have been injured in a boating accident, contact Kenosha boat injury lawyers of Habush, Habush, & Rottier