The Recreational Boating Safety State Grant Program—Part 2

Excerpt from U.S. Coast Guard Proceedings of the Marine Safety & Security Council magazine

Program Areas:

Administration. A major facet under this category would be states’ boating accident reporting systems, which help the Coast Guard understand the causes of accidents to more effectively address the issues that may prevent them.

Law Enforcement, including accident investigations, stolen vessel investigations, and boater assistance.

Education. In 2008 almost 43 percent of the boater safety certificates issued were the result of an Internet or home study course, while 57 percent of participants attended classroom courses taught by state education specialists, state RBS officers, state volunteers, the Coast Guard Auxiliary, or the U.S. Power Squadrons.

Registration and Titling. Since the Federal Boating Safety Act of 1958, states and territories have had the authority to register and require vessels to be numbered. Revenue from registration fees is used to fund state boating safety programs in many states, and is a source of matching dollars for federal RBS grants.

Navigation Aids. With the increased number of boats on the water, there is a growing need for buoys, signs, and other waterway markers. These “signposts of the water” mark restrictions implemented under marine traffic management and provide important information to boaters.

Public Access. Since the mid-1980s acquisition, development, and maintenance of public access facilities has been an allowable cost for RBS grant funds.

What Have We Accomplished?

Through our efforts and those of our partners, recreational boating fatalities have been reduced from a high of 1,754 in 1973 to 709 in 2008 even though the number of recreational boats nearly doubled (from about 6.3 million to about 12.3 million).

Our partners include:
National Association of State Boating Law Administrators
the Coast Guard Auxiliary

U.S. Power Squadrons

the National Recreational Boating Safety Coalition

National Safe Kids Campaign

Mothers Against Drunk Driving

the American Medical Association
the American Academy of Pediatrics

the National Boating Federation

National Water Safety Congress

U.S. Sailing Association

Boat Owners Association of the United States

the American Canoe Association

For more information:Full article is available at http://www.uscg.mil/proceedings/fall2010

Subscribe online at http://www.uscg.mil/proceedings/subscribe.asp.