Buckle Up On The Boat This Holiday Weekend

Eddie Farah — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 22:21:20 GMT

A warning before you head out this July 4^th weekend on the coastal or Intracoastal Florida waters – The Coast Guard says this holiday is the deadliest one for Florida boaters.

The Coast Guard, as well as Florida Fish and Wildlife, will be out patrolling the waterways this Independence Day holiday. Their message- wear a life jacket!

Not unlike a car, wearing a life jacket is a must when there are more boats on the water, especially at night when it’s difficult to see. Also people paying attention to the fireworks are not likely to be paying attention to their surroundings, so it’s always a good idea to have a second observer watching out for where you are going and looking for any hazards, such as debris, in the water.

Another thing to remember- just like driving a car – don’t drive a boat drunk. Alcohol is a known factor in about 20 percent of fatal boating accidents, so if you plan on drinking name a designated driver. The sun, noise, and wind are considered stressors that intensify the affects of alcohol and drugs.

According to the Coast Guard, national boating statistics showed the numbers of deaths from 2006 to 2007 dropped from 710 to 685. Unfortunately the number of accidents rose during the same period from 4,967 to 5,191.

Over two-thirds of fatal boating accidents involved drowning and of those 90 percent were not wearing a life jacket. The Coast Guard reports that three-quarters of drowning occurred in boats less than 21 feet. And the majority occurred on boats where the operator had not received safety instructions.

When out in deep water, running out of gas is a problem for some who are not paying attention. The Coast Guard will be bringing extra fuel containers onboard for those boaters. And after ten hours on the water – don’t forget about the drained batteries you will need to get back home.

Many experienced boaters say this weekend is one they decide to leave the boat in the dry dock!

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Eddie Farah

Boat Driver Not Intoxicated In Easter Sunday Wreck That Killed Five

Eddie Farah — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 23:46:27 GMT

Blood alcohol has just come back on the person in the driver's seat of that Easter Sunday boating crash on the Intracoastal that left five people dead.

There was a great deal of speculation that alcohol had some part to play, but the test came back on the 44-year old woman at 0.035 percent, well below the blood-alcohol level for intoxication in Florida at 0.08.

That means the driver had the equivalent of a drink and a half.

On Easter Sunday, nine people were injured in addition to those who died aboard the 22- foot Crownline which slammed into a tugboat anchored at a private dock about a mile north of the Palm Valley Bridge.

44-year old Jacqueline Allen was steering the Crownline, though she was not the owner. She died in the crash.

It’s been estimated she was driving the boat about 30 to 35 mph when the boat hit a tugboat tied up on one of the docks that extend into the Intracoastal in this eight-mile stretch along Palm Valley known as "the ditch" to boaters. That's because the navigable waters are shallow and narrow.

Allen and her friend, 42-year-old Immaculada Pierce were invited to join the group at the Conch House Marine in St. Augustine. Pierce was also killed.

An attorney for some of the injured says that people sitting on the bow of the boat obscured the view of the driver and that's what led to the crash.

Another theory is emerging, and it's a danger that has been long known in this stretch of north Florida waterway.

David Roach, who is the executive director of the Florida Inland Navigation District, has been speaking out for awhile about some of the private docks sticking into the Intracoastal Waterway. Roach tells the Florida Times Union, “I think that’s what you saw here, [the dock] was so close to the channel it didn’t give this person any degree of error. Once she strayed out of the channel she was in trouble.”

Some of the docks are built 36 feet from the edge of the navigation channel, which in itself is only 125 feet wide. With docks on both side of the channel that does not leave much room to maneuver.

This investigation promises to take some time as the nine injured survivors are interviewed, and the engine block is examined closely as well as the throttle and damage to both boats.

An investigation will include whether the docks need to be modified to make this area safer. As one observer said, as it stands now, this was an accident waiting to happen. About the best thing that can happen to honor those who died, is to make this a safer situation for everyone who uses this waterway so we never see a repeat of this senseless loss of life. #

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Eddie Farah

Jacksonville Personal Injury Lawyer - Maritime Accidents

Buckle Up On The Boat This Holiday Weekend

Boat Driver Not Intoxicated In Easter Sunday Wreck That Killed Five