Boat-on-Boat Accidents in Georgia

Numerous boating accidents occur every year on lakes throughout Georgia and off of Georgia’s Atlantic coastline. A boat-on-boat collision happens when a boat (motorboat, yacht, pontoon, canoe, sail boat, etc.) collides with another vessel or personal watercraft (PWC). Many of these boat accidents occur because boat operators underestimate the dangers of boating, or they simply do not understand the "rules of the water" and boating safety regulations. Read on for more information about boat-on-boat accidents.

Boat-on-boat accidents may involve any of the various types of vessels and watercraft available today, as well as involve an endless number of situations. Some of the most common circumstances causing and contributing to boat-on-boat accidents include:

• Operating a boat at a speed too high for safety
• A boat operator hitting a big wave or wake at an unsafe speed or angle
• Failing to keep a lookout for other boats or watercraft
• Not knowing navigational rules, such as rights-of-way on the water
• Overcrowding or overloading a boat or PWC
• Defective boat design, construction, or repair

Understanding how to properly operate a boat is crucial to avoiding a boat-on-boat accident while on the water. However, for most boats and PWCs, Georgia, like many states, does not require any specific instruction or training on how to operate watercraft safely. Rather, mandatory instruction is only required for operators under a certain age or for vessels over a certain length.

With little in the way of training or instruction requirements, many people operate boats without any specialized knowledge of the vessel’s operating system.  What's more, many boat operators do not know how to avoid an accident if another boat or PWC is coming at them. In addition, many boat operators are unfamiliar with state and federal boating regulations or safety rules, and unfortunately routinely commit violations such as failing to display appropriate lights, not sounding the appropriate horn signals, failing to monitor radar, and not obeying posted signs. Any of these violations can lead to a boat-on-boat collision.  Such collisions also usually involve a combination of negligent behavior which oftentimes ends in fatal results.

One of these negligent behaviors includes boating under the influence.  Alcohol often plays a role in boat-on-boat accidents. In fact, over half of all boating accidents involve alcohol or drugs, and the U.S. Coast Guard warns that "alcohol is more hazardous on water than on land." Just as we are committed to winning compensation on behalf of people injured by drunk drivers, we work diligently to ensure intoxicated boaters are held accountable for their actions.

If you or a loved one has been injured on the water in Georgia, the Atlanta boat accident lawyers at Katz Personal Injury Lawyers can help. We have decades of experience handling a wide variety of personal injury claims, and we will put all of our legal skill and knowledge behind successfully resolving your case as well. Call 404-460-0101 or contact us online to schedule a free initial consultation today.