South Florida Injury Lawyers Blog
State law enforcement officials are reminding South Florida residents that a stepped up patrol presence on roadways isn’t the only place officers will be looking for drunk and impaired drivers this Labor Day weekend. Deputies will also be patrolling our inland and off-shore waterways hoping to keep recreational boaters safe and accident-free as well, tbnweekly.com reports.
According to the article, 18.5 percent of boating fatalities were alcohol or drug related; 65 people died in Florida boating accidents in 2009. Not surprisingly, Florida leads the nation in boating incidents with 982,470 registered vessels involved in 620 reported boating accidents in 2009, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission reports.
A FWC review of annual boating accidents found that 62 percent of reportable accidents occurred in 10 Florida Counties, with Miami-Dade, Palm Beach and Broward County ranking in the top five for number of boating accidents. If you have been injured in a boating accident, talking to an experienced Fort Lauderdale personal injury attorney who understands the complexities of Florida boating laws can help you preserve your rights.
Recent data compiled by the FWC indicates that boating accidents are on the increase in 2010 with three drowning so far this summer caused by people jumping from boats into high-traffic waterways. Officials say that swimmers often overestimating their abilities or are unfamiliar with potential dangers lurking beneath the surface in open-water.
Of course, alcohol is often a factor, and officials suspect it to have played a role in this year’s upswing. “Operating a vessel or engaging in other waterborne activities while drinking is just not a smart idea,” Capt. Carol Keyser of the FWC’s Boating and Waterways Section said.
Don’t allow the destruction caused by a drunk driver or boating accident to turn your life upside down. The South Florida personal injury attorneys at Freeman & Mallard have been successfully and aggressively representing victims and families in Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, and Ft. Pierce /Port St. Lucie for years. Call us today to schedule a no-obligation appointment to discuss your case at 1-800-529-2368.