Chapter 4: The Legal Requirements of Boating
Boating Accidents And Casualties—What The Law Requires You To Do

An operator involved in a boating accident must:

• Stop their vessel immediately at the scene of the accident unless the action would endanger your own vessel, crew, or passengers and ...
• Give assistance to anyone injured in the accident and ...
• Give their name, address, and identifying number of their vessel to the other vessel's operator and/or owner of damaged property.

Vessel operators involved in an accident must report the accident by the quickest means possible if the accident has resulted in:

• A death or disappearance of a person or ...
• An injury causing a person to require medical attention beyond first aid or ...
• Damage to the vessel and other property of $2,000 or more.

The report of the accident must be made to:

• The Division of Law Enforcement, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (call 1-888-404-3922 or "#FWC" from a mobile phone) or ...
• The sheriff of the county where the accident occurred or ...
• The police department of the municipality in which the accident occurred.

Failure to report an accident and failure to render aid are both criminal offenses.