TOUR BOAT ACCIDENT / SAFETY

Boat tours are a great way to spend time with your family and take in some scenery. But while most boat tour operators are responsible, too many boat tour accidents continue to happen. Investigations into such accidents often reveal the tragic truth that most of them were preventable.

To avoid a tragedy during what would otherwise have been an experience to relish, it pays to do some research prior to choosing a boat tour, and to take some basic precautions.

Research questions:

• Is the tour boat operator properly certified? (the vessel, pilot, and crew should all be certified)
• What is the tour boat operator’s safety record?
• Is the vessel properly licensed, maintained and insured? (some modifications to the vessel can change the original design specifications and affect the vessel’s stability, center of gravity, and ease of evacuation, all of which are important safety considerations)
• Does the vessel contain proper safety equipment? (including sufficient flotation, communication, and signaling devices)
• Does the tour boat operator conduct safety drills and provide its crew/s with other first aid, CPR, fire fighting and prevention, man overboard, and security training?
• Does the operator provide passengers with safety briefings? (required in some jurisdictions, should include the locations and directions of use for flotation devices and evacuation procedures)
• What is the vessel’s legal capacity? (do not board if there are more passengers than allowed)What level of “duty of care” is required of tour boat operators in the respective jurisdiction? (generally, the higher the duty of care required, the easier it is to prevail in a legal claim if something goes wrong)

Precautions

• Dress properly – consider a light, waterproof rain jacket and deck shoes with non-slip soles
• Because boats pitch and roll, be especially cognizant of a slippery, wet or icy deck, loose carpeting, and unsafe gangways
• Follow evacuation procedures when necessary and listen for any instructions from the crew or rescuers
• Be aware of your surroundings and report any suspicious activity
• Avoid excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages

Even after undertaking rigorous research and taking prudent precautions, tour boat accidents can still happen. If you or a loved one has been involved in a tour boat accident, you will likely need the help of a personal injury or maritime law attorney. But not all attorneys posses the necessary expertise, contacts, and resources to conduct or interpret the results of a proper investigation of the circumstances surrounding such an accident.

Contact a qualified and compassionate personal injury attorney with experience in maritime law practice for an evaluation of your case.

See also:
Boating accident
Boat capsize
Cruise ship accident
Maritime law