Significant Injuries Reported in Boating Accident at Deep Water Channel
A boating accident near Rio Vista caused multiple injuries described as significant on June 18. The boaters were at the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta deep water channel at the time the incident occurred. One of the injured was transported by California Highway Patrol (CHP) helicopter to a nearby hospital for medical care.
Multiple People Injured in Boating Accident at River Delta
Two other patients were transported by ambulance with undisclosed injuries. Emergency responders with the Rio Vista Fire Department, and Montezuma Fire Protection District as well as the CHP responded to the accident scene to initially treat the injured. The circumstances under which the boating accident occurred have not yet been released.
What Is the Most Common Type of Boating Accident?
The most dangerous accidents involving leisure boating include the following, according to the U.S. Coast Guard:
- Falling overboard causes the highest number of fatalities in an accident involving a boat. The individual who falls off the boat can drown or be struck by the hull or propeller.
- Colliding with another boat causes many injuries and fatalities.
- Crashing into an object such as rocks, a dock or something underwater can result in serious injuries such as traumatic brain damage or amputation and cause people to be thrown overboard.
- Flooding in the boat can lead to fatalities or injuries.
- Capsizing can lead to severe injuries or deaths and can be caused by strong waves or the wake of a larger vessel.
Negligence That Can Lead to a Boating Accident
Those who go boating always look upon it as an adventure and a great way to enjoy the sun and water. However, negligent boaters can end up causing a serious accident that results in dangerous injuries as well as fatalities. Some of the more common causes of a boating accident include:
- Inattention by the boat operator: When everyone on board is having a good time while on the water, it may seem natural for the person operating the boat to want to join in. However, this isn’t much different than a negligent motorist that is distracted and not paying attention to traffic. There are dangers on the water, such as other boaters, swimmers, and those on jet skis or other equipment.
- Inexperience: Driving a boat isn’t an easy task, and being inexperienced in handling one can end up causing a boating accident. All boaters in the state should carry a California Boater Card, which shows that they’ve passed a safety course.
- Speeding: Speeding leads to accidents on the water just as it does on the land. It’s easier to lose control of a boat if you are going too fast.
- Drinking: Just as it is with driving a motor vehicle, drinking while operating a boat is illegal. Drinking alcohol or using drugs while operating a boat results in poor decision-making and slowed reaction times, which is necessary to avoid an accident.
- Weather conditions: The boat operator should always keep an eye on the weather because a storm can blow up quickly. When the water gets choppy, the wind blows and lightning is present, it can endanger everyone on board the craft.
- Mechanical failure: A mechanical failure can cause a craft to go dead in the water, which means it might be struck by another boat, cause a fire or electrical failure or go out of control. Any of those types of problems can lead to serious injuries or fatalities. If a defect in the mechanical system led to an accident injury, the injured party may place a product liability claim against the manufacturer with the help of an injury lawyer. However, the boat must be examined by engineers to determine if a defect was the cause.
Sacramento Boat Accident Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento boat accident lawyer. If you suffered an injury or lost a loved one because of a negligent boater, contact us for free and friendly advice at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400. We can look over your case and tell you if you can place a claim to recover damages. You can reach us online also.
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Photo attribution: Image by Gerhard C. from Pixabay
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