NASBLA Public Library

This National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) safety recommendation report examines the risks associated with recreational and commercial vessels operating on shared waterways throughout the United States. Prompted by a 2016 collision between a commercial ferry and a group of kayakers on the Hudson River, the report analyzes accident data, reviews existing waterway management practices, and evaluates interactions among recreational boaters, paddlers, passenger vessels, commercial shipping, and other waterway users. The report identifies key risk factors, including limited boater education, increasing recreational vessel traffic, confined waterways, and differences in vessel maneuverability and visibility.

The report also examines the roles of the U.S. Coast Guard, Harbor Safety Committees, state boating agencies, and other stakeholders in promoting waterway safety. It highlights successful local initiatives, reviews national boating education standards and multiple use waterway management strategies, and presents recommendations to improve recreational boater education, strengthen collaboration among waterway stakeholders, and enhance the safe coexistence of recreational and commercial vessels within the Marine Transportation System. This resource is intended for waterway managers, boating safety professionals, policymakers, and others involved in waterway planning and recreational boating safety.