New research shows that boats certified to American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC) standards are 43% to 47% less likely to be involved in certain types of accidents. Additionally, adherence to these standards reduces the likelihood of fatalities by 26% to 58% in accidents that do occur, demonstrating that ABYC standards not only decrease accident occurrences but also lessen their severity.

ABYC is a nonprofit association that sets voluntary global safety standards for the design, construction, maintenance and repair of recreational boats. In collaboration with the United States Coast Guard (USCG), ABYC released a significant analysis by independent research firms Industrial Economics Inc. (IEc) and ITA International. This analysis focuses on the effectiveness of ABYC standards in enhancing recreational boating safety. The analysis was supported by two critical data sources: the Boating Accident Report Database (BARD), a verified historical record of recreational boating accidents maintained by the USCG, and a list of boats built to ABYC’s voluntary standards.