Journal of Accident Investigation
Journal of Accident Investigation
Journal of Accident Investigation
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BRUCE G. COURY<br />
Finally, the Safety Board concluded that the recreational<br />
boating industry could do more to promote PFD use in all<br />
aspects <strong>of</strong> recreational boating. Pointing to the success <strong>of</strong> the<br />
PWC and the paddlesports industries, the Board concluded<br />
that such marketing strategies can be effective in promoting<br />
the desirability and increased use <strong>of</strong> PFDs and can be a model<br />
for the rest <strong>of</strong> the recreational boating industry. The Board<br />
recommended that MRAA and NMMA develop a marketing<br />
strategy that promotes increased use <strong>of</strong> PFDs; increased<br />
activity in boating safety education by recreational boating<br />
manufacturers, retailers, and media; and integration <strong>of</strong> PFD<br />
use into the sale <strong>of</strong> boats and accessories. The Board suggested<br />
that the marketing strategy specifically target high-risk boating<br />
populations, boats, and boating activities, and include sufficient<br />
detail about the range <strong>of</strong> PFD technology, comfort, performance,<br />
and effectiveness.<br />
THE AUTHOR<br />
BRUCE G. COURY, Ph. D., is a Transportation Research Analyst in the Safety Studies and Statistical Analysis Division<br />
<strong>of</strong> the NTSB Office <strong>of</strong> Research and Engineering. Dr. Coury was the coordinator for the NTSB’s public forum Personal<br />
Flotation Devices in Recreational Boating, and has been with the Safety Board for 3 years. Prior to joining the Safety Board,<br />
Dr. Coury was a Senior Scientist at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory and an Associate Pr<strong>of</strong>essor at<br />
the University <strong>of</strong> Massachusetts at Amherst. His doctoral degree is in industrial engineering and operations research from the<br />
State University <strong>of</strong> New York at Buffalo.<br />
74 NTSB JOURNAL OF ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION, SPRING 2006; VOLUME 2, ISSUE 1