Boating Accidents at the Lake Of The Ozarks

Recently ranked the top recreational lake in the country, the Lake of the Ozarks attracts visitors from far and wide. People travel from all over the Midwest to take advantage of the unique attractions that our area has to offer. While the lake offers many fun recreational opportunities – swimming, fishing, tubing, water skiing, wakeboarding, etc – boating tends to be the most popular activity by far. 

Unfortunately, boating isn’t just fun and games. Boating can also be also one of the most dangerous recreational activities people participate in at the Lake of the Ozarks. Today, our boating accident lawyers in Camdenton MO are here to take a closer look at local boating accidents.

Types Of Boating Accidents

Depending on the size of the boats involved and the speeds at which they are traveling, boating accidents vary widely in severity. While there are a number of different factors that can contribute to a boating accident, there are four specific factors that most commonly contribute to local boating accidents:

• Boating while intoxicated
  • Operating a vessel while under the influence of alcohol is not only foolish – it’s illegal. Intoxicated drivers put themselves and other boaters at great risk. Unfortunately, it happens all too frequently. 
• Excessive speeding
  • Because of its twisting shape and many winding coves, the Lake of the Ozarks limits drivers’ visibility (especially at night). It is easy for boats and other watercraft to appear seemingly out of nowhere. Driving too fast limits how much time drivers have to react to other boaters who enter their fields of vision. It also greatly decreases how quickly they will be able to stop (or slow) their own vessels.
• Overcrowded boats
  
  • Boats are designed to accommodate specific numbers of people. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for local boaters to push or exceed these limits. When a vessel becomes too crowded, the driver’s vision may be blocked by passengers and/or he may become distracted by the shenanigans taking place on his boat. If he is distracted, he may not be able to react quickly enough.
• Driver inexperience
  • Driving a boat on the Lake of the Ozarks (especially on busy weekends) requires great skill and technique. Drivers need to be alertly monitoring all sides of the boat, watching for swimmers, watercraft, floating sticks or logs, and wakes or waves that may throw them off course. Inexperienced boaters may have trouble successfully monitoring all their surroundings.