With over 200 rivers, lakes, and waterways, South Carolinians have plenty of opportunities to be on or near the water. There is easy access for boating, swimming and fishing for everyone due to the state’s varied landscapes, from Lowcountry marshes to upstate lakes.
Boating, whether sailing, paddling or using a motor, is one of the most popular uses of our waterways. The diversity of the state’s vessels and waterways make safety essential to ensuring an enjoyable boating
experience for everyone.
The U.S. Coast Guard and South Carolina Department of Natural Resources play a crucial role in ensuring safety and aiding those on the state’s bodies of water. They regularly patrol the waterways, responding to boaters in distress and ensuring compliance with safety regulations.
Coast Guard statistics on vessel accidents demonstrate the importance of being safe on the water. Between 2005 and 2023, South Carolina bodies of water experienced 2,339 accidents, resulting in 1,502 injuries and 357
deaths.
Boaters should always expect the unexpected on the water. Checking weather conditions, having an emergency plan and maintaining awareness are crucial practices. The causes of many accidents on the water can be easily prevented with a simple solution, wearing a life jacket.
According to the Coast Guard, 68% of deaths on South Carolina waterways in the last 20 years were the result of drowning.
Lack of boating experience and education play key roles in many accidents. In South Carolina, vessel operators with no boating education were involved in 1,614 of the 2,339 reported boating accidents. The Coast Guard offers free boating courses to the public, covering safety equipment and boating protocols. Completing these courses may also result in reduced insurance costs for boaters, a win-win for boat owners.
One popular place to boat is the portion of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway maintained by the Charleston District. This section runs
approximately 210 miles from the North Carolina border to the Georgia border along the South Carolina coast. It’s part of the larger AIWW system, which extends from Norfolk, Virginia, to Miami, Florida. Like interstate 95, this waterway serves as a coastal highway, with thousands of vessels transiting it daily.
Similar to a highway, the AIWW sees vessels passing each other in close proximity necessitating a focus on safety. Between 2005 and 2023 on the AIWW in South Carolina, there were 333 accidents resulting in 268 injuries and 17 deaths. Much like wearing a seatbelt when driving, wearing a life jacket is essential before boarding any vessel on the water.
Safe boating prevents easily avoidable tragedies and will not only save the lives of those on your vessel, but the lives of others.
| Date Taken: | 08.12.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 08.12.2024 10:50 |
| Story ID: | 478352 |
| Location: | CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 17 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Safe passage: Ensuring safety on South Carolina waterways, by Dylan Burnell, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
