2020 Recreational Boating Statistics
In calendar year 2020, the Coast Guard counted 5,265 accidents that involved 767 deaths, 3,191 injuries and approximately $62.5 million dollars of damage to property as a result of recreational boating accidents.
There is evidence that boating activity rose significantly during the pandemic, from reports of increased boat sales, insurance policies taken out, insurance claims, and calls for towing assistance. The Coast Guard is analyzing variables associated with boating activity to normalize accident data.
Numerous states cited difficulties registering boats due to office closures during the pandemic. The Coast Guard did not perform any statistical adjustments to state figures.
The fatality rate was 6.5 deaths per 100,000 registered recreational vessels. This rate represents a 25% increase from the 2019 fatality rate of 5.2 deaths per 100,000 registered recreational vessels.
Compared to 2019, the number of accidents increased 26.3%, the number of deaths increased 25.1%, and the number of injuries increased 24.7%.
Overview of Statistics
This report contains statistics on registered recreational vessels and boating accidents during calendar year 2020. Data used to compile the recreational boating accident statistics come from four main sources: State marine agencies; Federal agencies, including the Coast Guard, National Park Service, Army Corps of Engineers, and Forest Service; the public, on a CG-3865 Recreational Boating Accident Report (BAR) form; and the news media. The Coast Guard collects data from multiple sources in an attempt to document all incidents that meet reporting requirements.
The data in this publication reflects a collaboration of state and Coast Guard efforts. After reports are submitted, the Coast Guard reviews them and standardizes the data so that it can be used for national comparison. The data in this publication reflects Coast Guard standardized values, which may be differ- ent from the state’s original submission.
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