Water Safety in Ohio

In Ohio, the two big water safety topics are Lake Erie and boat driver training. On Lake Erie, stay out when you see whitewater and keep 100 yards from piers and breakwalls. On any Ohio water, anyone born in 1982 or later needs a boating course or exam to drive a boat over 10 horsepower. Ohio is one of the country's largest boating states, with more than 630,000 registered boats.

Ohio's natural resources and health department pages blocked our automated checks, except the boating education page, so this page sticks to what we could verify.

Ohio drowning and boating numbers

16 deaths

• Boating: The U.S. Coast Guard counted 106 reportable recreational boating incidents in Ohio in 2024, with 16 deaths and 47 injuries (opens in a new tab). Deaths by year: 25 in 2020, 19 in 2021, 17 in 2022, 10 in 2023 and 16 in 2024.
• Boats: 630,288 registered vessels in 2024.
• Drowning: CDC puts Ohio's average annual drowning death rate for 2018-2021 at 1.14 per 100,000 people (opens in a new tab), below the U.S. rate of 1.31.
• Shoreline: NOAA lists 312 miles of official Great Lakes shoreline (opens in a new tab) for Ohio.

CDC counts drowning deaths of residents; the Coast Guard counts boating incidents. See our Ohio data page.

Lake Erie beaches

The National Weather Service's Great Lakes safety page applies to every Lake Erie beach:

• Most beaches are unguarded. Talk to a lifeguard or beach patrol if there is one. If not, steer clear of the pier (opens in a new tab) and swim at least 100 yards away from it.
• Whitewater is a warning. If you see whitewater, waves are at least 3 feet and dangerous currents may be present. 80% of Great Lakes drownings and rescues happen with waves of 3 to 6 feet.
• Waves wear you out. They come every 3-4 seconds in summer. Even small waves can hit you with the force of a car (opens in a new tab).
• Know the address of the beach so you can tell 911 where you are, and find the life ring stations.
• Outlet currents form where rivers and streams flow into the lake.

Read jetties and piers and rip currents.

Ohio boater education

From the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR):

• Who needs it: Ohio law requires boaters born on or after January 1, 1982, to successfully complete either a boating course or a proficiency exam (opens in a new tab) to operate a boat powered by more than 10 horsepower. The law applies to supervising adults born on or after that date, too.
• Personal watercraft: children under 12 may not operate a PWC, even with a certificate. Ages 12 to 15 may operate one only with an adult 18 or older on board, and both need certificates (the adult if born in 1982 or later). At 16 and older, a certificate is enough.
• Other powerboats over 10 horsepower: children under 12 may operate only with an adult on board, with certificates for both. Children 12 and older with a certificate may operate alone.
• Rentals: businesses cannot rent a boat over 10 horsepower to someone born in 1982 or later unless they confirm a course or pass a short exam.
• If stopped: you have 72 hours to show proof of your certificate.

Federal law requires children under 13 to wear a life jacket on a moving boat (opens in a new tab). This is a summary, not legal advice.

What you can do today

• Check the forecast for Lake Erie wave heights before a beach day, and skip swimming on whitewater days.
• Teach kids to stay 100 yards from piers and never to jump off one.
• Take an approved boating course if you were born in 1982 or later.
• Check your child's age before they ride or drive a personal watercraft.
• Find swim lessons with our guide to finding swim lessons.