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The number of boating and jet ski accidents in Florida resulting in injuries and tragic deaths is increasing every year, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). The most recent FWC data in 2020 showed Florida still ranked No. 1 among all 50 states.

The U.S. Coast Guard reported that Florida also had the highest number of boating accidents in the U.S. in 2021, with 723 injuries and 8 tragic deaths.

2023 has already had its share of boating and jet ski accidents:

• In February 2023, one of two teenagers in Miami tragically died in a jet ski accident, while visiting with family from New Jersey. The two teens were allowed to rent jet skis at Albert Pallot Park.
• The Orange County Fire Rescue team was called to a jet ski crash on Saturday, April 1, 2023, where two people were injured and transported to local hospitals.
• FWC reported on April 29, 2023, that two vessels collided near the mouth of the Apalachicola River in Franklin County, Florida. According to the officials at the scene, three people were injured and one tragically died.

Because there are so many tragic deaths and injuries on Florida’s waterways, Fort Myers boating accident attorneys at Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A. consider it their duty and privilege to defend the rights of boating and jet ski accident victims. Our legal team provides personal contact and communication along with aggressive representation for all Florida accident cases. One such case was a multi-million-dollar settlement for the parents who lost their son in a wave runner accident in Monroe County in the Florida Keys.

Spivey Law Firm has seen many causes of boat or jet ski accidents including:

• Operating a boat or jet ski without training. Statistics show that 77 percent of tragic deaths occur when operators have never had safety instruction.
• Alcohol use while boating or jet skiing is one of the primary causes of fatal water accidents.
• Boat propellers are particularly dangerous and often result in injury and tragic deaths.
• Negligent boat operators can create significant waves causing other watercrafts to overturn, ejecting occupants.
• Boat operators may have limited experience and not properly outfit their vessels with safety equipment and life jackets.

New Florida Law, the Boating Safety Act, for Watercraft Operators

The Boating Safety Act was passed by the Florida Legislature in June 2022 and signed into law by Governor DeSantis. On January 1, 2023, the new Florida law made it more difficult to rent a boat or jet ski. Watercraft renters are now required to carry insurance and obtain a permit before legally going out on Florida waters. 

According to Insurance NewsNet, Senate Bill 606 requires boat rental and jet ski operators to obtain a no-cost permit through the FWC, secure insurance, and report accidents or overdue rentals to the FWC.

The Florida legislature passed this new law to “protect marine life and people enjoying the waterways by cutting down on reckless watercraft operators.”

Florida Senator Illeana Garcia, a sponsor of the bill, said, “Equipping the public with the knowledge they need to change their boating habits will have lasting impacts and benefit our waterways for generations to come.”

Spivey Law Firm Protecting Boating and Jet Ski Accident Victims

Should you or a loved one be seriously injured in a boating or jet ski accident, contact Spivey Law Firm 24/7 at 239.337.7483, toll-free at 1.888.477.4839, or online at SpiveyLaw.com. There are no costs or attorney fees until we receive a monetary recovery for you.