Edmonds, Washington – Three People Injured in Boat Collision

Edmonds, Washington (September 2, 2019) – Three people sustained minor injured in a collision involving two boats off the Edmonds Ferry Terminal on Monday night. Two people were rescued from a boat that had been struck and were taken to a hospital in Edmonds to be checked out. The man driving the speeding boat which caused the collision was able to come back to shore on his own and was treated on the scene.

The crash was reported to have happened around 8:40 p.m. According to the report from South County Fire, two people were heading out in a pleasure boat at a leisurely pace when they were struck by a speeding boat. The struck boat stopped and was left stranded due to heavy damage, while the speeding boat continued on its way. A fire rescue boat rescued the two people on the pleasure boat. The incident caused the Puyallup ferry to be slightly delayed as the ferry also sent a rescue boat in the incident.

About Boat Accidents

Like any other vehicle, boats can be involved in dangerous accidents. According to data from the American Boating Association, in the year 2016 a total of 4463 recreational boating accidents were reported, with 701 deaths and 2903 injuries. Additionally, in 80% of accidents where the cause of death was known, the victims of fatal boats accidents drowned, with 83% of drowning victims not wearing a life jacket. Additionally, in 171 known accidents, at least one person was struck by a propeller, resulting in 24 deaths and 175 injuries. As for the type of vessel used in these accidents, the highest percentage of deaths was associated with open motorboats at 47%, followed by kayaks at 13% and canoes with 9%. As for the cause of the accidents, alcohol is know to be the leading known contributing factor to fatal boat accidents. Other cause of accidents included operator inattention, operator inexperience, improper lookout, excessive speed, and machinery failure.

Preventing boating accidents comes down to ensuring boat safety regulations are followed. Like with any other vehicle, the vessel itself must be checked to make sure it is safe to use. Proper knowledge of the area where one will be boating is also encouraged. It is also important to make sure that all people on the boat have access to safety devices such as life jackets. Preventing accidents ensures not only our safety, but the safety of others.

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