Nov 1, 2016 - Personal Injury by Justin Roberts
Texas has more square miles of inland water than any other state in the U.S. There are almost 600,000 registered boats in Texas, which ranks our state #6 in the country for boat ownership. According to the U.S. Office of Auxiliary and Boating Safety, there were 154 Texas boating accidents in 2015 that resulted in 44 deaths and 105 injuries.
The #1 contributing factor to a fatal boat crash is alcohol use, followed by operator inattention and operator inexperience. Texas requires that operators meet certain age and boater education requirements in order to operate any of the following watercraft:
- Powerboat with motor of more than 15 hp
- Personal watercraft
- Sailboat in excess of 14 feet
Individuals under the age of 13 are not allowed to operate any vessel unless they are supervised by someone over the age of 18 who is qualified to legally operate the vessel and is on board when the vessel is underway.
Individuals over the age of 13 may operate a vessel without supervision only if he or she has completed and passed a boater education course that is recognized by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
If you are over the age of 13 and have passed the state-approved boater education course, you must carry this information with you at all times that you are aboard a vessel:
- A photo ID such as a driver’s license or student ID; and
- A boater education certification card issued by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department OR proof of completion of the requirements to obtain a vessel operator’s license issued by the U.S. Coast Guard.
Non-residents may operate a vessel in Texas if they can provide proof that they have passed another state’s boater education course that is NASBLA (National Association of State Boating Law Administrators)-approved and accepted by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
Roberts & Roberts focuses on helping people who have been injured in accidents or because of negligence. Contact us to schedule your free consultation with our experienced personal injury legal team for the compassionate representation you deserve.
Justin is an attorney at Roberts & Roberts and focuses his practice on mass tort litigation, where he specializes in helping individuals who are harmed by recalled or unsafe pharmaceutical drugs and medical devices. He has earned recognition as a “Top 40 Under 40” Trial Lawyer by the National Trial Lawyers. Prior to joining Roberts & Roberts, Justin served as an attorney in all three branches of Texas’s state government, including as a Briefing Attorney on the Texas Supreme Court. He also represented electric and natural gas utilities in complex regulatory proceedings before the Public Utility Commission of Texas and the Railroad Commission of Texas. Justin is a published author in the St. Mary’s Law Journal.
