According to the U.S. Coast Guard, the most popular watercrafts on New Jersey waterways include canoes, kayaks, open motorboats, personal watercraft, cabin motorboats, pontoon boats, and yachts, all susceptible to accidents. Numerous accidents can occur on or around boats and cause serious injuries or fatalities. Some of the most common accidents include but are not limited to:

• Capsizing
• Crashing into fixed objects
• Collisions with other watercrafts
• Explosions or fires
• Falling from a boat
• Flooding or swamping
• Mechanical failure
• Propeller accidents
• Slip and fall accidents on or near a boat
• Stranding or grounding
• Waterskiing accidents
• Weather or hazardous waters

Boat accidents occur largely because people underestimate the dangers of the water or boats themselves or do not understand the nautical navigation rules and safety laws. Boating education is crucial and required by the state to ensure safety and reduce the number of accidents. Some of the most common causes of boating accidents in New Jersey include the following:

• Disobeying laws: Violating navigation rules and laws can lead to collisions with other watercraft.
• Distracted driving: Operators who are distracted are unable to watch for other boats, objects on or under the water, piers or shorelines, skiers, and other hazards.
• Drunk operator: Operating a boat while under the influence of alcohol or drugs is just as dangerous as driving a car. Drunk operators are more likely to speed, have decreased reaction time, have difficulty recognizing oncoming hazards, and misjudge the distance between the boat and nearby objects.
• Lack of safety gear: Boats should be equipped with lifejackets, emergency flares, and a radio or other means of calling for help.
• Reckless driving: Boats are longer and heavier and take much longer to turn. Operators can easily lose control if they speed, make unsafe turns, or engage in any other reckless actions.
• Inexperienced operator: Inexperienced operators unfamiliar with how the boat operates, boating and navigation laws, or what to do in an emergency pose a danger to others.
• Improper maintenance: If not properly maintained, the motor, steering mechanism, or other operating component can break or fail.
• Reckless passengers: Reckless or rowdy passengers can cause accidents by distracting the operator, falling on or off the boat, or harming another passenger.
• Slippery floors: Boat floors are often wet and slippery due to spray, weather, or swimmers coming out of the water, increasing the risk of falling accidents.
• Wake or waves: Rough seas or following a larger vessel’s wake can cause smaller boats to capsize.
• Weather: Storms can create rough water in any body of water, making it difficult to see or determine direction.
• Alcohol: This is the top contributing factor in fatal boating accidents, and 78 percent of those fatalities were due to drowning.