Hunter Safety Skills Key to Preventing Hunting Accidents
Hunter safety skills help to prepare hunters for safe behavior while hunting and thereby reduce hunting accidents. Overall hunting safety but particularly the safe handling of firearms is a major part of standard hunting safety courses. Washington State law requires all individuals born after January, 1 1972 who want to hunt in Washington State to show proof of basic hunter education training before purchasing a hunting license. Washington State residents must present a valid Washington hunter education training certificate but out of state residents need only show proof of a successfully completed hunter education training in their home state. There are no exceptions to the law. Washington State hunter safety classes are offered year-round online for $19.50. Note that summer and fall classes fill up quickly and there may not be available spaces for late season classes. While there is no minimum age required to enroll in hunter education, instructors may require a parent or guardian to attend all classes if students are under 12 years of age.
Hunter safety programs work
As more hunters who were born after 1972 – who were required to complete a hunter safety course – make up the participants in the sport there is evidence that mandating hunter safety classes is working. A recent report from the National Safety Council revealed an impressive 48 percent decline in accidental firearm-related deaths in the past decade. According to the National Safety Council’s publication “Injury Facts 2005-2006”; no other category of accidental death has declined as much in recent years.
Of the hunting accidents that do occur, 29 percent of hunting injuries involve firearms. Annual fatal hunting accidents occur at a rate of 80 to 90 persons per year. In the United States accidental deaths involving firearms make up less than one percent of accidental deaths (approximately 700 deaths per year) and fatal hunting accidents with firearms make up only 12 to 15 percent of this statistic.
Note: a 10-year survey of hunting-related injuries at two major trauma centers in Ohio found that the leading cause of hunting related injuries are falls from tree stands used by hunters to survey the land and track animals. In fact, half of hunting-related injuries that required a hospital visit were caused by falls, 92 percent from tree stands.
Brush up on your hunter safety skills. Use these top hunter safety tips to prevent a hunting accident this hunting season.
If you were injured by another hunter in a hunting accident, contact a personal injury lawyer right away. He or she will look at your case and fight for a settlement that will compensate you for lost wages, pain and suffering and medical expenses caused by the resulting injury.
If you or a loved one is dealing with an accident or injury, you have enough on your plate. Let an experienced accident attorney fight for the full compensation that you deserve. It is not uncommon to receive a settlement from the insurance company that is five to ten times bigger with the help of a lawyer. Call the caring accident attorneys at Tario & Associates, P.S. in Bellingham, WA today for a FREE consultation! We have been representing residents of Whatcom County, Skagit County, Island County and Snohomish County since 1979. You will pay nothing up front and no attorney fees at all unless we recover damages for you!