Boating Accidents Common in Summertime

A tragic accident on North Long Island is drawing attention to the training and age of trainers. In the incident, a twelve-year-old boy was taking boating lessons at the Centerport Yacht Club on July 18th, 2017. The victim was on an inflatable motorboat when he fell overboard and became entangled in the rotor.

Some accidents are unpreventable tragedies, but it is not yet clear if that was the case in this instance. The activity the boy was taking part in was escaping an intentionally capsized boat. While the other two trainees seemed unshaken, the victim was struggling. Relying on him to keep focused on safety at that moment was in itself unsafe.

The instructor, an-18-year old, will bear part of the blame for the incident. But a full investigation should take place, in part to determine whether or not having an 18-year-old instructing three younger boys in harrowing circumstances is a safe practice. The Yacht Club itself should be looked into to determine whether or not its policies put people at unnecessary risk, and whether its trainers were themselves properly

Boating lessons are not the only time where young or under-trained staff might pose a risk to children in the water. Swim instructors and lifeguards at public pools are not always up to the task of keeping people safe. But out on the ocean, or when working with motorboats, safety is even more of an urgent need.

If you or someone you love has been injured or killed in a boating accident, determining just what went wrong can be difficult. The accident could have been caused by human error, by mechanical failure, or by unsafe practices by others. An experienced attorney can help you figure out the cause of the incident, and then help you determine how to proceed with holding whoever caused it responsible for their actions.