The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has revealed that crew members on board two U.S. Coast Guard boats involved in boating accidents in California and South Carolina may have been using wireless devices for personal conversations and texting just before the crashes. The collision on December 20, 2009 in the San Diego Bay's Parade of Lights killed 8-year-old Anthony Cole DeWeese and seriously injured four others. In that case, the Coast Guard boat with a crew of five collided with a 24-foot pleasure boat. In both cases, NTSB investigators say, Coast Guard crew members were using the communications devices for personal purposes.

Distracted Operation Possible in Fatal Boat Crash

So far, the NTSB has not determined the cause in either the San Diego or South Carolina crashes. But the federal agency is urging the U.S. Coast Guard to develop a thorough policy on the use of wireless devices by their own members and to issue a safety alert to the maritime industry.

The Coast Guard did issue a policy last month, which prohibits the use of the devices by the boat operator, who is the person at the wheel and the throttles. The policy also bans cell phone use on the part of crew members, unless such use is specifically approved by the boat operator.

Prior Incidences of Distracted Driving

This is not the first catastrophic crash involving cell phone use or texting. There have been many on our roadways and railroads nationwide. In September 2008, 25 people died and many others were injured in a Metrolink train accident in Chatsworth because a train engineer who was texting moments before the crash ran a red light and crashed the commuter train into a freight train. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), all forms of distracted driving caused 515,000 personal injuries and 5,870 fatalities in 2008 on our nation's roadways.

Need for Comprehensive Policies

It is indeed tragic that the death of the little boy and those serious injuries were possibly caused by the distracted boat operation of Coast Guard officials. I find it difficult to understand why the U.S. Coast Guard does not already have a comprehensive policy in place relating to distracted boat operation and the use of wireless devices for personal use in Coast Guard vessels. How many innocent victims must be killed and how many must suffer pain and injuries for these policies to go into effect? If you have been injured in any type of accident involving a distracted operator, please contact an experienced California personal injury lawyer to get more information about your legal rights and options.

Have you had close calls on the road because of distracted drivers?

None of the parties mentioned in this article are represented by us at the time this article was posted. The source of our information is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call a reputable law firm for a consultation. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. The BISNAR | CHASE personal injury law firm will provide free, confidential consultation to "not at fault" persons and their family members if you mention your source was the “Personal Injury Law Journal." They can be reached at 866-456-5235 during California business hours.