What Is The First Action Required of a Boat Operator (Boat Accident)

What Is The First Action Required of a Boat Operator Who Is Involved In A Boating Accident?

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What Is The First Action Required of a Boat Operator Who Is Involved In A Boating Accident

Boating accidents can be terrifying.

Not only the risk of injury due to the accident is something that you will naturally worry about but you must also add the possibility of drowning to possible injuries.

What are the things you should do right after a boating accident?

Ensure Safety

If you are involved in a boating accident, you must immediately:

• Stop your vessel at the scene of the accident
• Assist anyone who may be injured or may be in danger
• Make sure everyone is wearing a lifejacket or PFD
• See if other may provide assistance 
• Ensure that there is no danger in getting hit by another boat 
• Inspect the boat hull and equipment for damages 
• Abandon ship if there is risk of further danger

The first priority after an accident is to ensure that everyone is safe and proper medical care is given to those in need.

If anyone needs medical care, you must call a professional right away.

In many cases, the Coast Guard will provide support as you wait for medical assistance.

Report The Accident

Once you have validated that everyone is safe and proper medical attention is given to those in need, the next thing you should do is to report the accident.

The requirements to report an accident to the police may vary from one jurisdiction to another. 

However, it’s always best to report the accident to the police authorities as soon as possible.

For example, if the boat accident results in death, injury to a person leading to hospitalization, or property damage exceeding $5,000, the boat operator must report the accident to the police.

Another example, the US Coast Guard requires that you report a watercraft accident to the authorities when there was:

• A fatality
• A person missing
• Important bodily injuries 
• Property damage of more than $2,000
• Destroyed vessel 

The boat operator will need to provide written confirmation of his or her name, address, and vessel identification number to anyone injured at the scene or to the owner of any property damaged.

Collect Information About the Boat Accident

The next thing you should keep in mind after a boat accident is to collect as much information as you can about the accident.

Gather information about who was involved in the accident, get names, addresses, emails, vessel identification numbers, locate material evidence, take pictures, videos, and other evidence.

You should also ask for the name of the insurance company and policy numbers of all those involved in the accident.

Make sure you document the location of the accident, collect information about the position of the boats, about the damages, or injuries suffered by those involved in the accident.

Takeaways 

What is the first action required of a boat operator?

What should a boat operator do when involved in a watercraft accident?

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What Is The First Action Required of a Boat Operator Who Is Involved In A Boating Accident

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