ABYC Study Shows NMMA-Certified Boats Enhance Safety

The American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC) recently released the results of a study that examined the effectiveness of its standards in enhancing boating safety. The analysis was conducted by the research firms Industrial Economics and ITA International, which used NMMA-certified boats for the analysis to ensure compliance with ABYC standards through their rigorous inspection process.

The report provided strong evidence that compliance with ABYC’s voluntary standards through NMMA Certification reduces the frequency and severity of the type of boating accidents the standards are designed to address. NMMA-certified boats, which are built to ABYC standards, contribute to fewer fatalities from both reduced boating accident occurrences and severity.

Report Highlights:

• Boats that are NMMA certified to ABYC standards are 43-47% less likely to be involved in certain accidents
• For accidents that occur, NMMA Certified boats reduce the likelihood of a fatality by 26-58%.
• Results strongly suggest the effectiveness of the ABYC-standards at reducing the likelihood of accidents resulting in a fatality among focused incidents.
• NMMA certification is correlated with a higher likelihood of non-fatal injuries during these types of accidents.

As the leading certification body for the recreational boating industry in the U. S., NMMA Certification impacts the recreational marine industry worldwide, helping to improve boat manufacturing and ensure quality products for consumers throughout the world. NMMA’s certification program requires an annual inspection of all boat models and proven demonstration that variances found during inspection are corrected.