What should you do immediately after a collision?

Immediately after a collision, ensuring safety and providing assistance is the most crucial step to take. This involves checking for injuries among passengers and anyone else involved in the incident, ensuring that all individuals are safe and not in immediate danger, and providing help to those who might be injured. This response is essential to prevent further harm, manage the situation effectively, and comply with maritime laws that require boat operators to assist others involved in an accident.

Assessing the damage to the boat can be important, but it should come after ensuring safety as injuries or emergencies take precedence. Filing an accident report is a necessary follow-up action but is not the immediate concern right after a collision. Calling family members, while possibly comforting, does not address the urgent need for safety and assistance in the moment.