New Mexico Second for Recreational Boating Accidents
22 July 2024, New Mexico, Anidjar & Levine
- A new study reveals the most dangerous states for recreational boating in 2023, with Alaska coming out on top with 69% of accidents resulting in a fatal outcome.
- New Mexico follows in second with 47% of accidents causing fatalities, followed by Washington in third with fatal accidents making up 44%.
- The state that reported the lowest rate of fatal accidents was Rhode Island with 3%, with New Jersey, Delaware and Missouri each reporting 5% of recreational boating accidents as fatal.
A popular summer activity, recreational boating is on the rise throughout the U.S., with 2023 seeing a 36% increase in annual economic activity in the industry from 2018, according to the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA).
That’s why Florida personal injury lawyers Anidjar & Levine decided to investigate the most dangerous states for recreational boating in the U.S.
The research looked at data from the United States Coast Guard (USCG) and analyzed the 2023 recreational boating statistics to identify the states with the highest proportion of fatal accidents.
The reports outline the total number of recreational boating accidents in every state in 2023, and the number of fatal accidents, to calculate the percentage of accidents that resulted in a fatal outcome.
Alaska was found to be the most dangerous state for recreational boating with 69% of accidents identified to have resulted in fatality. Alaska reported 26 recreational boating accidents in 2023, 18 of which were fatal.
Following in second was New Mexico with a 47% fatality rate for recreational boating accidents. New Mexico reported 17 recreational boating accidents in 2023, of which eight were determined to be fatal.
In third was Washington with 44% of recreational boating accidents reported as fatal in 2023. Washington recorded 52 accidents, of which 23 were fatal.
Ranking fourth was Colorado, which saw 43% of recreational boating accidents producing a fatal outcome. Colorado reported 35 accidents in 2023, and of these, 15 were identified as fatal.
Rounding out the top five was Montana, which reported 30% of recreational boating accidents as fatal in 2023. This corresponded to three fatal accidents out of 10 in total.
Other states that had high rates of fatal accidents as a result of recreational boating in 2023 were West Virginia (25%), Michigan (24%), Mississippi (23%), Massachusetts (22%), Hawaii (21%), and Wisconsin (21%).
Top 10 most dangerous states for recreational boating
| Rank | State | Number of accidents | Number of fatal accidents | % of accidents that are fatal |
| 1. | Alaska | 26 | 18 | 69% |
| 2. | New Mexico | 17 | 8 | 47% |
| 3. | Washington | 52 | 23 | 44% |
| 4. | Colorado | 35 | 15 | 43% |
| 5. | Montana | 10 | 3 | 30% |
| 6. | West Virginia | 8 | 2 | 25% |
| 7. | Michigan | 82 | 20 | 24% |
| 8. | Mississippi | 31 | 7 | 23% |
| 9. | Massachusetts | 41 | 9 | 22% |
| 10.(=) | Hawaii | 14 | 3 | 21% |
| 10.(=) | Wisconsin | 116 | 24 | 21% |
At the other end of the spectrum, Rhode Island was deemed the safest state for recreational boating with just 3% of accidents reported as fatal. Rhode Island had 31 recreational boating accidents in 2023, of which only one was fatal.
Second from bottom were Missouri, Delaware, and New Jersey, each of which had a 5% fatality rate for recreational boating in 2023. Missouri reported six fatal accidents out of 122 accidents total, whereas Delaware reported one fatal accident out of 19 accidents. In New Jersey, there were 131 recreational boating accidents, of which seven were fatal.
Just ahead was Utah, which reported 6% of its recreational boating accidents to be fatal. Utah identified three fatal accidents in 2023 out of a total of 51 recreational boating accidents.
Other states that had low rates of fatal recreational boating accidents were Arizona (7%), Kansas (7%), Louisiana (7%), Maryland (9%), South Dakota (9%), Florida (9%) and California (9%).
Top 10 safest states for recreational boating
| Rank | State | Number of accidents | Number of fatal accidents | % of accidents that are fatal |
| 1. | Rhode Island | 31 | 1 | 3% |
| 2.(=) | Missouri | 122 | 6 | 5% |
| 2.(=) | Delaware | 19 | 1 | 5% |
| 2.(=) | New Jersey | 131 | 7 | 5% |
| 3. | Utah | 51 | 3 | 6% |
| 4.(=) | Arizona | 95 | 7 | 7% |
| 4.(=) | Kansas | 27 | 2 | 7% |
| 4.(=) | Louisiana | 94 | 7 | 7% |
| 5.(=) | Maryland | 116 | 10 | 9% |
| 5.(=) | South Dakota | 23 | 2 | 9% |
| 5.(=) | Florida | 619 | 54 | 9% |
| 5.(=) | California | 339 | 30 | 9% |
Commenting on the findings, a spokesperson for Anidjar & Levine said:
“Recreational boating always comes with risks and can be dangerous if the proper precautions aren’t taken. Potential dangers include collisions, capsizing, falling overboard, and being struck by propellers or the vessel itself, all of which can lead to drowning, blunt trauma and other potentially fatal injuries.
Often people may be unaware of or ignore safety advice, but there are critical steps that can be taken to reduce the chances of these hazards affecting you. Familiarizing yourself with the safety protocol, wearing life jackets, and avoiding adverse weather conditions when boating can prevent dangerous situations.
“Additionally, don’t operate a boat if you aren’t in the right state to do so – that can include feeling unwell, tired, or being under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Ideally, a boat should be maintained by someone who has experience and, in most states, a safety certification for motorized recreational boating will be required.
“Recreational boating is an enjoyable activity and a fun way to spend time with friends and family, especially during the summer months – but be sure to take all of the possible steps to protect the safety of you and your loved ones before you go on the water.”
