Chapter 4: The Legal Requirements of Boating
Boating Accidents & Casualties—What the Law Requires You
To Do
An operator involved in a boating accident:
- Must stop his or her vessel immediately at the scene of the accident and ...
- Assist anyone injured or in danger from the accident, unless doing so
would seriously endanger his or her own vessel or passengers and ...
- Give, in writing, his or her name, address, and vessel identification
to anyone injured and to the owner of any property damaged by the
accident.
Anyone who renders assistance at the scene of a boating accident will not
be held liable for any civil damages as a result of providing reasonable and
prudent assistance.
The operator of a vessel involved in a boating accident or the owner of
the vessel reporting for the operator must complete and submit a written
boating accident report if:
- A person dies or disappears from the vessel under circumstances that
indicate death or injury or ...
- A person is injured and requires medical treatment beyond first aid or ...
- Damage to the vessel(s) or other property exceeds $2,000 or there is
complete loss of a vessel.
The boating accident report must be submitted to the law enforcement
agency that has jurisdiction where the accident occurred.
- The report must be submitted within 48 hours of the accident if:
- A person dies within 24 hours of the accident or ...
- A person is injured and requires medical treatment beyond first aid or ...
- A person disappears from a vessel.
- For all other accidents, the report must be submitted within 10 days.
Accident report forms are available from the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission, and the marine unit of local law enforcement agencies.
Additional information and the boating accident report form are available here.
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