The Coast Guard’s Boating Safety Division releases the results of the 2023 Life Jacket Observation Study. The purpose of the study is to determine the level of life jacket wear of recreational boaters throughout the U.S. The study was conducted by JSI Research and Training Institute in cooperation with the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary.

In Calendar Year 2022 where cause of death was known, 75% of fatal boating accident victims drowned. Of those drowning victims with reported life jacket usage, 85% were not wearing a life jacket.

The report is available here: National Life Jacket Wear Rate Observational Study