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With the advancement of life vest technology, man-overboard alarms, and anti-collision radar, Personal Watercraft (PWC) safety has greatly improved over the past few decades, but PWC accidents are still prevalent in New Jersey and in the United States.
Less than three weeks ago, on August 24th, recent Wayne Hills High School graduate and 18-year-old Zeina Mahafzah tragically lost her life while attempting to board a boat from a raft being pulled by the boat. She was struck by the boat’s propellor and fatally injured. The accident occurred off Harvey Cedars in Long Beach Island, near Sunset Park. Zeina was going to start her freshman year at Rutgers University-Newark the following fall. Her funeral occurred a few days later on August 28th.
New Jersey Boating Accident Statistics
In 2023, the United States Coast Guard reported 3,844 boating-related accidents, which caused 564 deaths, 2,126 injuries, and approximately $63 million in property damage. The fatality rate was 4.9 deaths per 100,000 registered recreational vessels, which is a 9.3% decrease from the 2022 fatality rate. 131 of the boating accidents occurred in New Jersey, and 7 of them were fatal. One particularly devastating accident occurred when a boat capsized in the Manasquan Inlet after being hit by a wave and caused 21-year-old Derek Narby to lose his life.
The Coast Guard found that the top five primary contributing factors in accidents were operator inattention, improper lookout, operator inexperience, excessive speed, and navigation rules violation, while the leading contributing factor in fatal boating accidents was alcohol use.
The Coast Guard also reported that, when cause of death was known, 75% of fatal boating accident victims had drowned, and of those victims with reported life jacket usage, 87% were not wearing a life jacket. Federal law requires that every person aboard a vessel must have a U.S. Guard-approved, wearable life jacket, and each state may have additional wear requirements. Most states require children under 13-years-old to be wearing the jacket while aboard a vessel.
Boating Safety Tips for New Jersey Citizens
The BoatUS Foundation, an organization that aims to promote safe boating, states that life jackets are the most important piece of equipment on a boat. Life jackets are the first line of defense in promoting water safety because they place the wearer in a face-up position, keeping the wearer’s mouth and nostrils clear of water to prevent risk from drowning. The Foundation also highlights the importance of verifying that the life jacket is properly fitted to the individual.
The Coast Guard also found that, where level of instruction was known, 75% of deaths occurred in boating accidents where the operator did not receive boating safety instruction. Only 15% of deaths occurred on vessels where the operator had received a nationally-approved boating certificate. On its website, the Coast Guard has compiled a list of safety courses available for all types of recreational boaters. Like life jackets, educational courses are another important aspect of boater safety.
For jet skis specifically, Davis, Saperstein & Salomon, P.C. encourages jet ski operators and passengers to:
- Respect the power of their jet ski and obey speed limits to avoid harming others.
- Never mix jet skiing and substances because it may impair your ability to safely operate your equipment and further perceive and avoid harm to others.
- Always watch for bad weather conditions, especially thunder and lightning.
- Take a safety instruction course and encourage passengers to do so as well.
- If you have a passenger on your jet ski, be sure to explain all safety rules, especially if your water bike tips over. Before starting the jet ski, make sure your passenger is ready and is holding onto the operator tightly.
- Explain to your passenger that they too can help as a second set of eyes to look out for red triangular flags indicating that a person is likely swimming in the water near a watercraft.
Contact the Boating Accident Injury Lawyers at Davis, Saperstein & Salomon, P.C. For Legal Help
If you are involved in a jet ski or boating accident, it may be because of negligence. Possible negligent parties include the operator of the boat, the operator of the colliding boat, and the boat manufacturer. You may be able to receive compensation for financial losses, medical expenses, and pain and suffering.
Location of August 24th Accident
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Since 1981, the compassionate personal injury lawyers at Davis, Saperstein & Salomon have been delivering results for our deserving clients. We are solely committed to helping injured individuals, never representing corporations. No matter how large or small your personal injury case is, you can trust that it is important to us.
