Deaths and injuries:
Causes of Deaths: Alcohol, poor weather conditions, captain error

Recreational boating is surprisingly dangerous. The Canadian Red Cross and Transport Canada recently published a report on boating-related deaths across Canada for 1991-2006: Boating Immersion and Trauma Deaths in Canada: 16 Years of Research. This article will highlight the findings of particular interest to kayakers in Newfoundland. Over the 16-year period, the number of Canadians who died in boating-related accidents was 2,765 (or about 173 people per year).

In 2009, the Coast Guard reported 4,730 recreational boating accidents, resulting in 736 deaths, 3,358 injuries and approximately $36 million in property damage. Drowning was a factor in 75% of boating fatalities in 2009, and most of those were likely preventable, as 84% of those victims weren't wearing life jackets.