Ohio Boating Fatalities
As of October 5, 2021
General Statistics
| 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reportable Fatalities | 20 19 male |
17 15 male |
13 11 male |
26 24 male |
15 13 male |
| Number of Incidents | 19 | 15 | 12 | 21 | 13 |
| Incidents in Boats Under 18' | 14 | 8 | 8 | 15 | 8 |
| Average Boat Length | 16'1" | 21'5" | 17'3" | 12'6" | 15'6" |
| Average Age of Victim | 41 | 49 | 26 | 43 | 41 |
| Age Range | 18 to 67 | 21 to 79 | 1 to 65 | 13 to 78 | 11 to 76 |
Type of Boat
| 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Powerboat | 6 | 10 | 7 | 10 | 6 |
| Canoe/Kayak | 9 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 4 |
| Sailboat | - | 1 | - | - | |
| Pontoon | 2 | - | - | 4 | 1 |
| Rowboat/Scull | 1 | - | - | 2 | 1 |
| PWC | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Other | 1 | - | - | 1 | |
| Still Under Investigation | - | 1 | - | - |
Incidents by Type of Waterway
| 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake | 8 | 3 | 3 | 13 | 7 |
| River | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Lake Erie | 6 | 9 | 7 | 3 | 3 |
| Pond | 2 | 1 | - | 2 | 1 |
| Ohio River | - | - | - | 1 |
Incidents by Geographic Region of Ohio
| 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northeast | 8 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 5 |
| Northwest | 6 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 3 |
| Central | 3 | 1 | 1 | 4 | |
| Southeast | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 1 |
| Southwest | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 |
Type of Primary Accident
| 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall Overboard | 5 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| Capsize | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| Flood/Swamp | 3 | - | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| Collision | 2 | 3 | - | 6 | |
| Person Left Vessel | 4 | 2 | - | 4 | 5 |
| Skier Mishap | - | 1 | - | - | |
| Other/Unknown | 3 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 3 |
| Still Under Investigation | - | - | - | - | 1 |
Life Jackets
| 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Not Worn or Not Worn Correctly | 15 | 14 | 9 | 20 | 10 |
| Worn | 4 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 2 |
| Other/Unknown | 1 | - | - | - | |
| Still Under Investigation | - | - | - | - | 3 |
Cause of Death
| 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drowning | 10 | 9 | 10 | 20 | 6 |
| Impact/Trauma | 1 | 4 | - | 5 | |
| Carbon Monoxide Poisoning | - | 2 | 1 | - | 4 |
| Other / Unknown | 9 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Still Under Investigation | - | 1 | 5 | - | 4 |
Primary Contributing Factor (may be more than one)
| 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alcohol / Drug Use | 1 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 1 |
| Passenger / Skier Behavior | 1 | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Operator Inattention | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| Careless/Reckless Operation | 1 | - | 2 | 1 | |
| Sitting/Standing on Gunnel/Bow/Transom | 1 | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Other / Unknown | 10 | 9 | 5 | 17 | 6 |
| Still Under Investigation | 1 | 1 | - | 5 |