Press Releases
Contact: Deborah Turcotte, Spokesperson
Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
284 State Street
41 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333
Telephone: work (207) 287-6008 cell (207) 592-1164
Fax: (207) 287-6395
May 21, 2008
Boating and ATV Fact Sheet - Summer Statistics
2008 Season:
Boating:
- Registrations: Ongoing. Unavailable at this time.
- Boating Fatalities: 1 as of June 30, 2008
ATV:
- Registrations: Ongoing. Unavailable at this time.
- ATV Fatalities: One as of May 21, 2008
2007 Season:
Boating:
- Registrations (preliminary): 127,953
- Total Accidents: 100
- Personal Injuries: 72 people
- Fatalities: 16
- Alcohol-related Accidents: 6
- Personal Watercrafts: 7 involved in accidents
ATV:
- Registrations (preliminary): 63,467
- ATV Accidents: 201
- Personal Injuries: 240 people
- Alcohol-related Accidents: 13
- Fatalities: 8
- Juvenile Fatalities: 2
Other:
- Drownings (non-boat on inland waterways): 3
2006 Season:
Boating:
- Registrations: 129,028
- Total Accidents: 84
- Personal Injuries: 58 people
- Fatalities: 12
- Alcohol-related Accidents: 2
- Personal Watercraft: 8 involved in accidents
ATV:
- Registrations: 62,268
- Total Accidents: 246
- Personal Injuries: 284 people
- Fatalities: 9
- Alcohol-related Accidents: 27
- Juvenile Fatalities: 2
Other:
- Drownings (non-boat on inland waterways): 5
Historical Facts :
Boating: (Figures compiled since 1990 unless noted.)
- Most Registrations: 133,529 in 1997 season.
- Highest Number of Accidents: 109 in 1991
- Highest Number of Injuries: 72 in 2007 (Figures compiled starting in 1996)
- Highest Number of Fatalities: 16 in 2007 and 2005
- Most Alcohol-related Accidents: 9 in 1998 (Figures compiled starting in 1998)
- Most Personal Watercrafts: 22 involved in accidents in 1994, including one fatality
- Most Personal Watercraft-related Fatalities: 2 in 2005
ATV: (Figures compiled since 1984 unless noted.)
- Most Registrations: 66,044 in 2004 season.
- Highest Number of Accidents: 332 in 2004
- Highest Number of Injuries: 362 in 2004
- Highest Number of Fatalities: 11 in 2004
- Most Alcohol-related Accidents: 40 in 2002 (Figures compiled starting in 1998)
- Juvenile Fatalities: 3 in 2005 and 1992
Other:
- Recent Drownings (non-boat on inland waterways): 5 in 2006; 10 in 2005; 10 in 2004; 12 in 2003; 11 in 2002.
Maine Safety Apparatus Rules:
- Helmets are required on juveniles under the age of 18 riding ATVs.
- Life jackets are required on juveniles under the age of 10 in boats.
Safety Resources:
- To learn about which life jackets are best suited to certain boating activities, visit the Personal Flotation Device Manufacturers Association at www.pfdma.org
- For information on boating safety, visit the National Safe Boating Council at www.safeboatingcouncil.org
- For information on personal flotation device boating laws, visit the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators at www.nasbla.org
