Standardized Incident Reporting Terms & Definitions

Overview

Entries in five report categories--Incident Types, Contributing Factors/Causes, Operation, Activity, and Vessel Types/Subtypes--were updated through multiple collaborations between NASBLA's Engineering, Reporting & Analysis Committee (ERAC), the states, and the U.S. Coast Guard's Boating Safety Division (CG-BSX-2). The lists were accepted by NASBLA membership in 2012 and 2013, and one more time in 2020 when the entries had been evaluated as part of a more comprehensive, consensus-based Recreational Boating Incident Reporting Policy Project. 

While four of the five lists have yet to be adopted by the Coast Guard for national use in the Boating Accident Report Database (BARD). the Incident Types list formed the basis for terms and definitions incorporated into CG-BSX 23-01, CH-1, Change 1 to Recreational Boating Incident Reporting (26 Sept 2023) and mandated for use by the states effective January 2024.

Click here for a brief history of these projects. 

Incident Types 

For purposes of recording incident-related data and facilitating the transition to updated terms, this table presents recently-used labels for incident types against the revised labels and definitions incorporated into CG-BSX PL 23-01, CH-1, section 4.  For additional information, see also, Incident Reporting Policy Resources.

For historical reference, the project lists that formed the basis for the policy guidance terms and definitions:

• Accident Types / Events- Sept 11, 2012; Incident Events - updated July 31, 2020 

Contributing Factors, Operation, Activity, Vessel Types/Subtypes

The following products resulted from the past NASBLA ERAC/CG-BSX-2 work and were released to and accepted by NASBLA membership in 2012/2013 and, after updating, in 2020. They have not yet been adapted by the Coast Guard for national use. However, some states considered and/or actually began using the definitions and incorporating the entries into their own reporting systems and thus may have historical records using the updated terminology.

• Contributing Factors / Causes - Sept 11, 2012; Contributing Factors/Causes - July 31, 2020
• Operation - Sept 3, 2013; Operation - July 31, 2020
• Activity - Sept 3, 2013; Activity - July 31, 2020
• Vessel Sub-Types- Sept 3, 2013; Vessel Sub-Types - July 31 2020

• These modules were developed as part of the project work that resulted in the updated report category lists released in 2012/2013. The guidance is contained in a zip file entry (250 MB) in the Lighthouse Library (located in the Lighthouse Discussion Forum on NASBLA Connect). Before you head over to the Lighthouse Library, read the instructions for downloading and using this version of the modules.

Behind the counts: the vital role that accident report data play in answering boating safety research questions and what can be done to improve them for the future, Small Craft Advisory, July-August 2010

Why aren't boaters paying attention? Small Craft Advisory online, July 1, 2016