Top Causes of Ontario Boat Accidents
Do you know the top causes of boating accidents in Ontario?
As fun as boating is on Ontario’s waterways, you don’t want to become a boating statistic. Safety is always your top priority.
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Let’s look at the top causes of boating accidents
Boating inexperience and lack of training
Many boat accidents happen because Ontario boat operators don’t have the proper boating skills or knowledge or a boating license.
In Canada, all boat owners need to get a Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC) to operate a motorized pleasure craft. It’s a requirement for all motorized boats, no matter their size or engine power. The PCOC is obtained by completing an approved boating safety course and passing a test. The PCOC course, which is also called a boating license, doesn’t typically include boat driving instruction.
Firsthand boat driving training is highly recommended, especially for new Ontario boaters or those seeking to improve their skills. In Canada, you can find hands-on boat driving training through boat clubs and specialized training programs.
Note that your PCOC must be kept on your boat at all times. It’s like the equivalent of your Ontario driver’s license for using your boat.
Do you know what “Mayday” means? Mayday is used to signal a life-threatening emergency usually by aviators and mariners. The distress call "mayday" originates from the French phrase "m'aider," which means "help me".
Alcohol use
About 40% of fatal boating accidents in Canada involve alcohol, which impairs your judgment, motor skills, and reaction. Fatigue, sun, wind, and the motion of the boat all combine to intensify the effects of alcohol on your ability to drive your boat.
Do not drink or take drugs and drive your boat on Ontario’s waterways.
In Canada, boat passengers may drink alcohol if the boat has permanent cooking, sleeping and toilet facilities. The boat must also not be in motion and must be moored to the dock, anchored, or beached.
Did you know? It is an offence under the Criminal Code of Canada to operate a boat if you’re impaired by drugs or alcohol.
Speed/dangerous manoeuvres
Just like a car, a speeding boat and a boat making dangerous manoeuvres can lead to a collision,
Speeding boats are a factor in many boating accidents in Canada and often result in collisions and fatalities.
Falling overboard or capsizing
Falling overboard or your boat capsizing are often linked to erratic boat movements, standing in unsafe areas, or not maintaining proper balance. Bad weather conditions, leaks, waves, and sudden turns can cause a boat to capsize.
Failing to take into account bad weather
Bad weather, including high winds and rough water, is a frequent contributing factor to recreational boating fatalities in Canada. It’s important to always check the local weather forecast and be aware of any warnings or alerts before you go out on the water.
How many boating deaths per year in Canada?
In Canada, there are an average of approximately 111 to 166 recreational boating deaths per year.
In Ontario, falling overboard and capsized vessels are the leading causes of OPP-investigated boating and paddling deaths year after year. Between 2020-2024, 131 people lost their lives in boating incidents on Ontario Provincial Police (OPP)-patrolled waterways.
What else can be fatal when boating?
Not wearing a lifejacket or personal floatation device (PFD) when on a boat can be fatal. A lifejacket can save you from drowning.
In Canada, a significant number of boating-related deaths are caused by not wearing a lifejacket, about 80% to 90% of boating fatalities are linked to this.
Final thoughts
Don’t become an Ontario boating statistic. The safety of you, your passengers, and other boaters always comes first.
5 FAQs
Does the OPP (Ontario Provincial Police) patrol on the water?
The OPP Marine Program has 134 vessels and almost 400 trained marine officers committed to enforcing federal boating laws and the safety of Ontario boaters on more than 110,000 square kilometres (95 per cent) of Ontario’s lakes and rivers.
Do paddlers get into accidents and drown?
In Ontario, 56 paddlers were among the 131 people who lost their lives in boating incidents on Ontario Provincial Police (OPP)-patrolled waterways in the last five years (2020-2024 ). Falling overboard and capsized marine vessels remain the leading causes of OPP-investigated boating and paddling deaths year after year.
When do most boating accidents happen?
Most boat accidents happen in the summer or on holidays and they often have nothing to do with bad weather. They are usually caused by distracted and reckless boat operation, alcohol or drug consumption, equipment failure, or operator inexperience.
What causes a boat fire?
Electrical problems are the leading cause of boat fires, accounting for about 29% of fires on boats with outboard motors.
What do you do when someone falls overboard?
Keep the person in sight and throw them a flotation device or lifejacket. Slow down or stop the boat and approach the person, ideally from downwind or against the current. Use a boathook to get them back on the boat.
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