Boating Fatalities at Lowest Number in 50 Years!

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On July 1, the Coast Guard released the 2024 Recreational Boating Statistics Report with the fewest U.S. fatalities in more than 50 years.

While we celebrate the great news in overall boating deaths, the report contains some disturbing underlying statistics. 

Stand-up paddleboarding saw a double-digit increase in fatalities (+164%), jumping from 11 deaths in 2023 to 29 deaths in 2024. Paddlesports in general remained inordinately high, contributing nearly 30% of all known vessel type fatalities (down from 33% in 2023). Cabin motorboats reported an 80% increase, increasing from 20 deaths in 2023 to 36 deaths in 2024. 

Alcohol continued to be the leading known contributing factor in fatal boating accidents in 2024, accounting for 92 deaths, or 20% of total fatalities. Deaths occurred predominantly on vessels operated by individuals who had not received boating safety instruction, accounting for roughly 70% of fatalities.  Drowning accounted for three-quarters of deaths, with 87% of victims not wearing life jackets. 

The WSF began its media outreach campaigns in 2011. Since then, boating fatalities, as compared to the 2024 report, are down 26.6% representing 202 fewer boating deaths.

Read Next: The First Thing to Do if Involved in a Boating Accident

What This Means

Although boating is becoming safer overall, the rise in accidents and injuries suggests ongoing risks—especially from alcohol, operator error, and lack of safety training and flotation device use. Continued public education, enforcement (like sobriety campaigns), and life jacket advocacy are vital to further reduce fatalities.

What follows is a bulletized summary.

2024 Recreational Boating Snapshot

• Fatalities: 556 boating deaths — the lowest in over 50 years, a 1.4% drop from 564 in 2023
• Incidents: 3,887 total accidents — up 1.1% from 3,844 in 2023
• Injuries: 2,170 non-fatal injuries — a 2.1% increase from 2,126 in 2023
• Property Damage: Estimated at ~$88 million for 2024

Fatality Rate

• 2024 rate: 4.8 deaths per 100,000 registered recreational boats — down 2% from 4.9 in 2023. For context, the rate in 1971 was 20.6.

 Key Risk Factors

1. Alcohol impairment: Leading cause in fatal accidents — 92 deaths (20% of fatalities) linked to alcohol in 2024 (up from 79 deaths, 17%, in 2023)
   
2. Top contributing causes: Include operator inattention, improper lookout, inexperience, machinery failure, navigation rule violations
   
3. Operator education: ~70% of fatal incidents involved operators without boating safety training
   
4. Life jacket lapses: ~75% of drowning deaths; among those, 87% were not wearing life jackets
   
5. Vessel types: Most incidents involved open motorboats, personal watercraft, cabin motorboats, plus increasing fatalities among paddleboards, canoes, kayaks.

Trends & Historical Context

• Continued progress: Fatalities and rates have steadily declined since a 2023 low of 564 deaths.
  
• Incident vs. injury gap: Accidents and injuries are rising slightly even as deaths fall — signaling persistent hazards but improved survivability.

Safety Recommendations

• Always wear properly fitted life jackets — the top defense against drowning.
  
• Avoid alcohol on the water; designate a sober operator.
  
• Complete boater education before operating a vessel.
  
• Stay alert and maintain a clear lookout, reasonable speed, and engine cutoff switch.
  
• Regularly inspect and maintain boat equipment to prevent mechanical failures.

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