FOIA - Law Enforcement Statistics
Recreational Boating Accidents
Past Ten Years
The state of South Carolina has an abundance of water resources with 8,000 miles of river, 460,000 acres of lakes, and 3,000 miles of coastline. Whether it is fishing, water-skiing, hunting or pleasure boating, these resources are used every day by thousands of recreational boaters.
In 1973 there were sixty-four fatalities as a result of recreational boating accidents. That year there were only 128,000 boats registered in this state. An increase in law enforcement personnel, better laws like the Boating Safety Act of 1996, Drew's Law, and concentrated boating education classes statewide have teamed up in an effort to reduce the number of accidents and fatalities.
| Year | Recreational Boating Accidents |
Recreational Boating Fatalities | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 146 | 14 | 1* |
| 2018 | 142 | 15 | 0* |
| 2017 | 163 | 15 | 0* |
| 2016 | 140 | 23 | 7* |
| 2015 | 131 | 19 | 4* |
| 2014 | 127 | 15 | 1* |
| 2013 | 108 | 28 | 4* |
| 2012 | 111 | 14 | 3* |
| 2011 | 98 | 19 | 4* |
| 2010 | 107 | 26 | 4* |
* Represents the number of private pond fatalities that are included in the total. Boating safety regulations are not enforced on private ponds.
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