Boating crashes rise in Virginia; cheaper gas cited

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The Associated Press
© September 14, 2009

RICHMOND

The number of boating crashes in Virginia is up significantly from last year, and cheaper gasoline might be part of the reason.

The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries has recorded 134 accidents offshore, in the Chesapeake Bay and on all freshwater through Sept. 9. Last year there were 95 crashes, a 20-year low.

Charlie Sledd, the department's outreach director for boating safety, says the low number last year was thanks largely to gas that cost up to $4 per gallon. With cheaper gas, more boaters are on the water, meaning crashes are likelier, he said.

In order to be counted in these statistics, a boat crash has to involve damage exceeding $2,000, an injury that requires more than first aid, a disappearance or a death.

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Mising the Point

Submitted by Buckhead on Fri, 10/16/2009 at 12:10 pm.

I'm amazed at how many people have posted a negative comment about the article. Some of you think that by identifying a correlation b/w cheap gas and boating accidents, the article downplays the importance of boater safety. How absurd. Making observations like the one from this article allows our society to plan better and run more efficiently.

There should be a law

Submitted by SheDevil on Tue, 09/15/2009 at 10:14 am.

requiring all people who operate watercraft to take a test on rules of the water in regards to operating a watercraft. This would reduce the number of accidents caused by uninformed and careless operators. If you are going to be on the water you need to respect the water.

Far Stretch

Submitted by sheenar74795 on Tue, 09/15/2009 at 6:27 am.

I suppose I can understand the basic idea behind formulating this theory, but I think it would be better left for a 7th grade research project. To actually publish these results as if a factual news item of direct interest is absurd.
Out of the 16 or so reasons listed for boating accidents on the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries website, low gas prices was not one of them. Stupidity (referred to as "Careless/Reckless Operation" on the website), was one of the top reasons.
With these facts I suppose that one could infer that only morons use
"low(er) gas prices" as an excuse to operate a boat under the influence of stupidity.

boater safety

Submitted by williamh12789 on Mon, 09/14/2009 at 5:01 pm.

This "cheap gas theory" is brilliant. I was suprised to find they work for the game commission, this type of out of the box thinking usually comes from VDOT.

Simple……..

Submitted by rclarence on Mon, 09/14/2009 at 4:32 pm.

Tax gas to fifty dollars a gallon. Just think of how safe our waterways would be. Not to mention how much safer our roads would be.

Blame it on the gas?

Submitted by Fairwaysed on Mon, 09/14/2009 at 1:47 pm.

Boaters cause the crash and they should know the rule of boat safety. Sure more boaters but gas is not the problem.

The story didn't blame the gas

Submitted by cFrederick on Mon, 09/14/2009 at 2:30 pm.

It merely pointed out that with cheaper gas this season more people were on the water, and more people = more opportunity for accidents.

But I agree that boaters bear the responsibility. Each season I find more and more people out on the water disregarding speed limits, no-wake zones and being generally inconsiderate of and downright dangerous in close proximity to other boaters. Some people are just rude. Others have been drinking too much. It's hard for there to be enough policing of the local waters. But I wish there was more, especially in the inland waters and bays.