Many people who frequent Florida use their time there renting boats or boarding cruise ships out onto the vast seas. Many first-time boaters don’t realize, however, that ships of any size can be dangerous.
Knowing how you could be injured could save you from a lengthy recovery process. Here’s what you should know:
Boat collisions are a big danger
There are no roads on the water, no traffic lights, no speed limit signs, no stop signs, no turning signals and no clear traffic control rules. So, it’s reasonable to say that boat collisions can occur.
In many of the same ways, boat collisions are like car accidents. When two vehicles collide, they can do serious body damage to each other, but it’s the passengers that may experience the real damage.
Without airbags and seatbelts, ships may even be more dangerous than cars. Passengers aren’t secured to the boat and can be sent flying into objects or the water during a collision. Boat collisions can lead to head and spine inquiries, even drowning and fires.
Slip and falls can be deadly
If you haven’t grown your sea legs then you may not be used to the swaying of a ship. People who aren’t used to boarding ships may not be used to the uneasy surface causing them to slip and fall. Many newer cruise ships are more stable than older, smaller boats – but that doesn’t exclude them from slip and fall accidents.
It’s only a matter of time before a ship gets water on its deck – it is on the water and sea storms are frequent. A nasty fall from a slick deck can lead to head and spine injuries, disrupting your vacation.
If you’ve been in a boating accident then you may need to seek legal help to recover from your injuries and losses.