The biggest cause of fatal boating accidents is an operator under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol. From 2005 to 2018, 67 fatal accidents in New York state were associated with an operator under the influence. Operator inattention was the biggest cause of overall boating accidents in 2018 — 86 overall. Inexperienced boaters are more prone to make mistakes or risky decisions. They may also be brash and misjudge the risks of speeding or operating in hazardous conditions. Operating a vessel requires constant attention, careful maneuvering, and hundreds of minuscule decisions each second. 41 boating accidents in New York last year were attributed to operator inexperience, putting it second behind inattention as a principal cause of preventable accidents.