[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 205 (Thursday, October 23, 1997)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 55199-55200]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-28100]



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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Coast Guard

33 CFR Subchapters S

[CGD 97-066]


Federal Requirements for Education in Recreational Boating Safety

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard seeks comments from interested people, groups, 
and businesses about the need for, and alternatives to, Federal 
requirements or incentives for recreational boaters to take courses in 
boating safety. It will consider all comments and will consult with the 
National Boating Safety Advisory Council (NBSAC) in determining how 
best to reduce the number of deaths among boaters caused by a lack of 
boating safety training.

DATES: Comments must reach the Coast Guard on or before February 2, 
1998.

ADDRESSES: You may mail comments to the Executive Secretary, Marine 
Safety Council (G-LRA, 3406) [CGD 97-066] U.S. Coast Guard 
Headquarters, 2100 Second Street SW., Washington, DC 20593-0001, or 
deliver them to room 3406 at the same address between 9:30 a.m. and 2 
p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The telephone 
number is 202-267-1477.
    The Executive Secretary maintains the public docket for this 
notice. Comments, and documents as indicated in this preamble, will 
become part of this docket and will be available for inspection or 
copying at room 3406, U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters, between 9:30 a.m. 
and 2 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mike Moore, Project Manager, Office of Boating Safety, Program 
Development and Implementation Division (202) 267-0577. You may obtain 
a copy of this notice by calling the U.S. Coast Guard Infoline at 1-
800-368-5647, or read it on the Internet, at the Web Site for the 
Office of Boating Safety, at URL address www.uscgboating.org.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background and Purpose

    Through its Recreational Boating Safety Program, the Coast Guard 
tries to reduce the number of recreational boating accidents. Although 
recreational use of water has caused fewer and fewer deaths over the 
last 20 years, these accidents still cause more deaths than any other 
transportation related activity except use of roads. These accidents 
caused 830 deaths in 1995. Eighty-nine percent of fatalities, in 
accidents involving operators whose level of education the Coast Guard 
could ascertain, occurred on vessels whose operators had no boating 
safety education. Most fatal boating accidents were due to hazardous 
waters, weather, operators' inattention, operators' inexperience, 
excessive speed, behavior of passenger and water-skiers, and 
overloading. Current nationally recognized courses in boating safety 
address these conditions.
    Each year the Coast Guard sponsors a national safe boating campaign 
based on educational methods aimed at encouraging boaters to take 
courses in boating safety. Such nonregulatory methods of modifying 
behavior may not by themselves be fully successful. However, the Coast 
Guard knows from data on boating accidents that State efforts, based on 
regulatory methods aimed at boating safety education, have been 
extremely successful.

Request for Comments

    The Coast Guard encourages you to submit comments about the need 
for, and alternatives to, Federal requirements or incentives for 
boaters to participate in boating safety education. In particular, the 
Coast Guard encourages you to answer the specific questions which it 
developed in consultation with members of NBSAC at the meeting in 
April, 1997. The Coast Guard also solicits comments from all segments 
of the boating community, State boating safety authorities, NBSAC, the 
National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA), and 
other interested people, groups, and businesses on the economic and 
other impacts of Federal requirements or incentives for boating safety 
education.
    Please include your name and address, identify this notice [CGD 97-
066] and the specific question or area of concern to which each comment 
applies, and give the reason(s) for each comment. Please submit two 
copies of all comments and attachments in an unbound format, no larger 
than 8\1/2\ by 11 inches, to help us with copying and electronic 
filing. If you want us to acknowledge receipt of your comments, please 
enclose a stamped, self-addressed postcard or envelope.

A. Recreational Boating by Commenter

    1. How much risk do you believe recreational boating involves?
    2. Do you agree with the following statement: If I went 
recreational boating, I would feel safe because I knew the basic rules 
of the road (navigational rules) pertaining to the waters I would be 
using?
    3. Would a requirement for taking a course in boating safety likely 
affect your participation in recreational boating and how would it 
affect it?
    4. Recreational boating varies widely depending on the interest of 
the individual boater. He or she may own, rent, or be a passenger on a 
boat; the boat may be powered by hand, sail, or motor; and the reason 
for boating may be relaxation, transportation, competition, or 
excitement. Please tell us something about your boating, including how 
often you go boating, what kind of boating you do, and the kind of 
water on which you go boating.
    5. Please tell us about your experience with recreational boating 
safety education to this date.

B. Mandatory Recreational Boating-Safety Education

    1. Several States have imposed various requirements for 
recreational boating safety education--by children under 12 years of 
age, aboard personal watercraft, and so on. What Federal requirements, 
if any, should the Coast Guard propose for taking courses in boating 
safety that would ensure uniformity around the country? Should the 
Coast Guard propose Federal requirements for children, for specific 
waterways, for personal watercraft, or for any other appropriate 
category of boaters or boating?
    2. What Federal requirements, if any, for taking a course in 
boating safety should the Coast Guard propose because of higher 
fatalities in one or more categories of boater, boating, or conditions?
    3. What Federal requirements, if any, for taking a course in 
boating safety should the Coast Guard propose because of higher 
fatalities involving one or more sizes or kinds of recreational 
vessels?
    4. Statistics for 1995 indicate that there were 66 fatalities for 
youths under 17 years of age while engaged in recreational boating. 
What Federal requirements, if any, for taking courses in boating safety 
should the Coast Guard propose because of higher fatalities 
corresponding to the ages of the victims?
    5. A survey of States' boating laws conducted in 1996 by NASBLA 
revealed that 20 States impose mandatory boating safety education on 
youths of various ages. What Federal requirements, if any, should the 
Coast Guard propose for youths of certain ages to take courses in 
boating safety before operating vessels?
    6. If you know of an instance where a person did not take a course 
in boating

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safety, but where the person or you later wished that person had taken 
one, please describe the instance.
    7. If you know of instances where safety may make taking a course 
in boating safety unacceptable or undesirable, please describe them.
    8. Are your aware of the intended uses and limits of the various 
kinds of courses in boating safety (classroom, home study, computer) 
and kinds of evaluations (proctored exams, non-proctored ones) approved 
by the Coast Guard?
    9. What Federal requirements, if any, should the Coast Guard 
propose for boaters engaged in any particular activities to take 
courses in boating safety under any conditions?
    10. Describe any other boaters, boating, or conditions on whose 
members the Coast Guard should propose Federal requirements to take 
courses in boating safety.

C. General

    1. What benefits (in terms of personal safety or other terms) do 
you think would accrue from Federal requirements to take courses in 
boating safety? What cost (in terms of money, paperwork, inconvenience, 
or other terms) would accrue from such requirements? Would the cost 
outweigh the benefits?
    2. Please describe any nonregulatory ways to reduce the number of 
recreational boating deaths due to a lack of boating safety training, 
at lower costs or with less burden than Federal requirements would 
entail.
    3. Is there any other information you feel may help the Coast Guard 
reduce the number of deaths due to recreational boating with lower cost 
to, or lesser burden on, the Coast Guard itself, the States, and, most 
of all, boaters?
    The Coast Guard will summarize all comments it receives during the 
comment period in response to this notice, place a copy of the summary 
in the public docket, and provide copies to the members of NBSAC for 
them to consider at their meeting in April 1998. It will itself 
consider all relevant comments in the formulation of any regulatory and 
nonregulatory measures that may follow from this notice.

    Dated: October 17, 1997.
Ernest R. Riutta,
Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard, Assistant Commandant for Operations.
[FR Doc. 97-28100 Filed 10-22-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-14-M