According to the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency, the boating year 2018 continued until late autumn and claimed the lives of 51 boaters. The accidents followed a pattern of a small boat, older man and cottage shore. The renewed Water Transport Act now gives more emphasis on life vests and other floating equipment.
During 2018, 51 persons died in boating accidents. Over the last decade, the annual number of fatalities in boating accidents have ranged from the 65 of the heatwave of summer 2010 to the 36 of 2017, the safest boating year on record.
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Analyzing the statistics, Ville Räisänen, the Head of Unit, said that the Vuoksi body of water, known for a high density of summer cottages, comes up in the statistics. The water body includes Finland’s largest lake, Saimaa. Accidents are typically caused by a small rowing or motor boat tipping over or tilting, and the accident usually happens to an older man.
What is more, people have continued to use their boats and summer cottages a lot in October as the number of fatalities on water has been twice as high compared to a normal October. Last October was warmer and less rainy than on average.
However, the new Water Transport Act will emphasise on the use of life vests and boat master’s responsibility.
Perhaps the new Water Transport Act will improve the situation, particularly when it comes to using floating equipment. The new act will include a requirement that the master of the watercraft must ensure that passengers are wearing life vests or other floating equipment on the watercraft as circumstances require
In the new Act, the boat master’s responsibility has also been emphasised and clarified in numerous ways. This aims to provide a clearer responsibility, in order for the skippers of smaller watercraft to take their own safety as well as that of others engaging in water traffic better into account before taking boat trips.
The new Water Transport Act is expected to enter into force in June 2020.
