Hello boater! Effective July 17, 2009, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources changed their guidelines for distance learning. Students are now required to spend a minimum amount of time on each course page before proceeding to the certification exam.

Click here to go to the latest version of the Boat Illinois online course—the official boating safety course of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

Avoiding Propeller Strike Injuries

If you've ever seen a propeller strike accident, you want to do everything in your power to prevent another one. They can be the most gruesome of boating accidents. Anyone in the water around a boat—a swimmer, scuba diver, fallen water-skier, or someone who's fallen overboard—is a potential victim.

Many propeller accidents are caused by operator inexperience, incompetence, negligence, and intoxication. However, most accidents can be prevented if operators follow a few simple safety practices such as turning off the engine when passengers are boarding or disembarking, use caution to prevent passengers from being thrown overboard accidentally, and maintain a proper lookout for people in the water. The primary cause of propeller strike accidents is operator inattention or carelessness.