HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — Florida is the boating capital of the world.
There are more than one million registered boats across the state, so it’s no surprise we see the most boating accidents, as well.
In 2021, there were 102 boating accidents in May alone, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. About 22 percent of all boating accidents statewide are the result of falling overboard.
"Have the proper safety gear — it's critical that everyone on board has a life jacket," Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister said.
It's important information heading into the unofficial start of summer, the Memorial Day weekend.
Coast Guard data also shows Florida ranked No. 1 with the most boating-related deaths in 2020 at 72. However, the state's fatality rate, a figure calculated by dividing the number of fatalities by the total vessel registration and then multiplied by a factor of 100,000, was outside the Top 10 states.
This is Florida, after all, and sunny skies could become quite stormy. The 10 Tampa Bay app has real-time radar and push alerts to help keep you ahead of the storm.
"The weather can change in an instant in the Tampa Bay area," he said. "We don't want you, your loved ones, your friends to get caught in one of those storms."
Finally, the sheriff reminds people of the dangers of mixing alcohol with boating.
"A third of our crashes are because of impaired operators," he said. "We're encouraging everyone to have a good time. It's going to be a great weekend, just please do it safely."