Forgotten Coast boating accidents remain below larger counties
In 2024, the state of Florida led the nation in number of registered watercraft, with Franklin and Gulf County doing their part to help sustain this statistic.
With this contribution of Florida boating statistics comes participation in the accident reports statistics as well, which also led in the nation. While Franklin and Gulf counties seem small in comparison to boating data across the state, the impact still affects overall numbers.
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s 2024 Boating Accident Statistical Report, there were a little more than 1.03 million registered vessels of all types. While this is not a record high for Florida, it is not far off from the 2023 report. Florida keeps its high count in just recreational vessels as well with 922,915.
Higher than in yesteryear was the number of reportable accidents, sitting at 685. This number is still significantly lower in comparison to the last five years of reports. The number of recreational accidents for the state however, sat at 619. This statistic is based solely on reportability of individually receiving at least $2,000 in damages.
Franklin County statistics show 3,303 vessels in total, with 2,763 being recreational. With no fatalities reported, there were eight reportable accidents and one injury. A total of $32,300 in property damage proves to remain in the lower ranks in comparison to other counties. The accident rate, when using the data of registered vessels and accidents leaves Franklin in the rating of 23rd, with the rate of 1 in every 413 vessels.
Gulf County statistics show 3,200 vessels in total, with 2,963 being recreational. While not a huge gap from the numbers of Franklin, Gulf does have higher numbers in comparison. With this in mind, there were only five reportable accidents with three injuries and one fatality. A total of $20,510 in property damage continues to demonstrate the smaller statistics from Gulf. Ranking 32st in accident rates in Florida, Gulf has an accident rate of 1 in every 640 vessels.
The Franklin County total for personal watercraft (PWC) was 226 with 200 categorized for pleasure, and none for rentals. With only two PWC accidents, there were no fatalities or injuries. The data shows the total of $4,000 in overall property damage. With the rank of 20th, the accident rate for PWC’s was 1 in every 113 vessels.
The Gulf County PWC total was just 159, with 153 categorized for pleasure and none under rentals. With just one PWC accident, there was a singular injury reported but no fatalities. The data for property damage is the lowest recorded, sitting at $500. With the even lower rank of 27, the accident rate for PWC’s was 1 in every 159 vessels.
As the statistics from the FWC’s accident report show, with Franklin and Gulf County not near the largest counties in Florida, they were comparatively low in accident data. With Gulf lower in figures, both counties are both lower than the large large counties, mostly found further south in Florida. Thankfully for this subject matter, Franklin and Gulf County find themselves to be perfectly average in terms of the official FWC reports.
A student at Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee, Genesis Jones is working as an intern for The Star and Times. She can be reached at genesis@nevespublishing.com
Meet the Editor
David Adlerstein, The Apalachicola Times’ digital editor, started with the news outlet in January 2002 as a reporter.
Prior to then, David Adlerstein began as a newspaperman with a small Boston weekly, after graduating magna cum laude from Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts. He later edited the weekly Bellville Times, and as business reporter for the daily Marion Star, both not far from his hometown of Columbus, Ohio.
In 1995, he moved to South Florida, and worked as a business reporter and editor of Medical Business newspaper. In Jan. 2002, he began with the Apalachicola Times, first as reporter and later as editor, and in Oct. 2020, also began editing the Port St. Joe Star.