Comparing the Coast Guard Boating Incident Report form with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Operator Boating Incident Report form reveals both similarities and differences in their approach to documenting boating incidents. Here’s a summary based on the contents of each form.
Similarities Between the Coast Guard Recreational Boating Accident Report & Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries Operator Boating Incident Report
- 1 Purpose and Requirement: Both forms are required for incidents involving injuries, fatalities, disappearances, and significant property damage. They aim to gather detailed information about boating incidents for safety, regulatory, and statistical purposes.
- 2 Incident Details: Each form requests comprehensive details about the incident, including the date, time, location, weather conditions, water conditions, visibility, and activities at the time of the incident.
- 3 Passengers, Damages, Safety Devices. Both forms include specific sections for passenger information, detailed descriptions of damage to the vessel and other property. They also require information about personal flotation devices, fire extinguishers,
- 4 Boat and Operator Information: Detailed information about the boat (including type, material, propulsion, and safety equipment) and the operator (including experience and safety instruction) is collected.
- 5 Incident Analysis: Both forms seek information on the type of incident (e.g., collision, capsizing, grounding), contributing factors (e.g., operator inattention, excessive speed, alcohol use), and the events leading to injuries or fatalities.
- 6 Safety Examinations and Checks: Both forms inquire about safety measures, and about vessel safety checks conducted by various organizations within the past year.
Differences Between the Coast Guard Boating Report & LDWF Boating Report
- 1 Reporting Thresholds: The Coast Guard form requires a report for property damage totaling $2000 or more, while the Louisiana form sets the threshold at $500 or complete loss of the vessel.
- 2 Submission Timeline: The Coast Guard requires reports within 48 hours for incidents involving injury, disappearance, or death, and 10 days for property damage only. The Louisiana form mandates submission within 5 days for all reportable incidents.
- 3 Additional Section in Louisiana Form for Insurance Information, Ignition & Throttle Settings: The Louisiana form includes specific sections for insurance information, ignition, and throttle settings.
- 4 Operator's Opinion on Contributing Factors: The Louisiana form explicitly asks for the operator's opinion on what contributed to the incident, allowing for multiple factors to be ranked by importance but appears to be silent on Which Boat the factors apply to in a Multi Boat Accident. Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries should revise their form to address this issue. The Coast Guard Form asks for Contributing Factors on Your Boat.
- 5 Detailed Description and Diagram: The Louisiana form provides space for a detailed narrative description of the incident and a diagram, facilitating a more comprehensive incident analysis.
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