Carter Viss Foundation

Home
United States
Jupiter, FL
Carter Viss Foundation

Our mission is to support individuals with limb trauma resulting from boating incidents and promote safe boating and diving practices.

07/23/2026

Leaving the scene of a boating crash isn't just irresponsible, it's a felony in Florida.

If you're involved in a boating accident, Florida law requires you to stop immediately, render aid if it's safe to do so, and exchange information with everyone involved. Leaving the scene could result in serious criminal penalties.

A moment of panic should never outweigh someone's chance of survival.
Every minute matters after a boating accident. Staying at the scene can help emergency responders reach injured victims faster, provide critical information for investigators, and potentially save a life.

At the Carter Viss Foundation, we believe boating safety starts with education and accountability. Knowing the law, and following it helps protect everyone who enjoys Florida's waterways.

Save this post so you'll know what to do if the unexpected happens, and share it with every boater you know. Awareness saves lives.

Read Florida Statute 327.30 here: https://bit.ly/4wIUrIX
Support our mission: https://bit.ly/4958Hn5

--

07/21/2026

694 boating accidents. 51 lives lost.
These are the official 2025 Florida boating statistics reported by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). Behind every number is a person, a family, and a story that didn't have to end this way.

While Florida is one of the best places in the world to enjoy the water, these numbers remind us that boating safety can never be taken for granted.

At the Carter Viss Foundation, our mission is simple: Educate. Raise Awareness. Help Prevent the Next Tragedy.
Every safe decision on the water protects not only you, but everyone around you.
✔️Save this post as a reminder.
✔️Share it with your boating friends and family.
Together, we can help make Florida's waterways safer for everyone.

Support our mission: https://bit.ly/4958Hn5
FWC Data: https://bit.ly/4yrlz0J

07/20/2026

There is an active debate happening right now about how close boats are allowed to get to Hollywood Beach, and it just became a lot more urgent.

Hollywood's city commission voted in April 2026 to allow boats as close as 218 yards from shore, roughly two football fields, and to install markers along that boundary.
But before a single buoy goes in the water, the project still needs approval from state and federal agencies. That process could take up to a year. And everything changed in June.

Kellie Williams, an experienced snorkeler and American Airlines flight attendant who had recently gotten married, went into the water near Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park in Dania Beach. She never came back. Her injuries were consistent with a vessel strike. The investigation is still open… Her death reignited the debate immediately.

Here's the problem divers have been saying from the start: snorkelers swim past the artificial reef to the natural reef, which sits at exactly 218 yards from shore. That means the approved boundary puts boat traffic in the same lane as the people in the water.

A group of divers and snorkelers is now calling on the city to push for a 400-yard minimum and statewide legislation requiring mandatory boater safety education along the entire Broward coast.

Carter sides with the divers. There is still a window to change this, but only if people speak up now.

Follow the Carter Viss Foundation as this story develops. Share this with anyone who swims, snorkels, or dives near Hollywood Beach.

07/16/2026

Do you know the legal distance you must keep from a diver-down flag in Florida?

Every boater should know these numbers:
✔️300 feet in open water
✔️100 feet in rivers, channels, or navigation inlets
✔️Idle speed is required when operating within these distances.

These aren't just recommendations, they're Florida law.
A diver-down flag means someone is underwater and may surface anywhere within the designated area. Slowing down and keeping your distance gives divers the space they need to return to the surface safely.

Many boating accidents are preventable with a little awareness and a few extra seconds of caution.

✔️Save this post so you always have these distances handy.
✔️Share it with every boater in your family or friend group, it could help save a life.

Follow for boating safety tips, diver awareness, Florida boating laws, and educational content dedicated to making our waterways safer for everyone.
Support our mission: https://bit.ly/4958Hn5

07/15/2026

A new Florida boating law is now in effect, and it could change the way you navigate familiar waterways.

As of July 1, 2026, House Bill 1103 allows local governments to establish speed-restricted zones extending up to 1,000 feet around blind corners where two waterways meet and visibility is limited.

Why does this matter?
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), operator inattention is the leading contributing factor in boating accidents across the state. At blind corners, two vessels can approach each other without seeing one another until it's too late.

These new speed zones are designed to:
Give boaters more time to react.
Reduce collisions at blind intersections.
Make Florida's waterways safer for everyone.

Remember, these areas must be clearly marked, so always pay attention to posted boating signs and speed zone markers.
Just because you've traveled the same waterway for years doesn't mean the rules haven't changed.

Share this with a fellow boater who needs to know about Florida's newest boating safety law.
Follow for boating safety tips, Florida boating law updates, accident prevention, and education that helps save lives on the water.
Support our mission: https://bit.ly/4958Hn5

07/14/2026

72% of people who drowned in Florida boating accidents last year were not wearing a life jacket.

Let that sink in.
Not rough water. Not a mechanical failure. Not an unforeseeable accident.
A missing piece of gear.
According to FWC 2025 data, Florida recorded 51 boating fatalities. Drowning was the leading cause of death - 27 people. And nearly 3 out of 4 of them were not wearing a life jacket when they went in the water.

A life jacket costs less than $20. It takes 3 seconds to put on. It works even when you're unconscious.
The excuse of "the water is calm" or "I'm a strong swimmer" doesn't hold up when you're unconscious from impact, tangled in lines, or disoriented in the dark. You don't get to decide whether you need it after you're already in the water.

Wear it before you need it. Every trip. Every time.
Share this with every person you know who gets on the water this summer.
Support our mission: https://bit.ly/4958Hn5

07/13/2026

On May 9, a charter boat exploded near the Haulover Sandbar, sending 11 people to the hospital, several with severe burns. According to investigators, the explosion is believed to have been caused by gasoline vapors that ignited during engine startup.

This is an important reminder for every boater:
Open the engine compartment before starting the engine.
Smell the bilge for gasoline fumes.
Run your bilge blower for at least 4 minutes before startup.

Never ignore the smell of fuel.
Gasoline vapors are heavier than air. They settle in the lowest part of the boat, where they can ignite with a single spark from the engine. Taking a few extra moments before turning the key can help protect everyone on board.

Boating safety starts before you leave the dock.
Share this reel with every boater you know. That one reminder could prevent the next accident.

Follow for boating safety tips, real life boating accident awareness, diver safety education, and practical ways to make our waterways safer for everyone.
Support our mission: https://bit.ly/4vpIozn

07/09/2026

In 2024, the U.S. Coast Guard recorded 169 propeller strike incidents on American waters.
30 people didn't survive.
158 others did, with injuries that changed their lives forever.

Every one of those 169 incidents involved a real person, someone's parent, someone's child, someone's best friend, in the wrong place at the wrong time because a boater wasn't paying attention, wasn't educated, or wasn't slowing down.

We can change that number.
That's why the Carter Viss Foundation exists.
Follow us. Share this. Support our mission: www.cartervissfoundation.org

07/08/2026

"I learned from my dad. I've been doing this my whole life."
That's exactly what 67% of operators involved in fatal Florida boating crashes would say.
Boating feels intuitive, until you're dealing with a blind corner, a swimmer you never saw, or an ejection at speed. None of those situations care how many years you've been on the water.

There's no law requiring you to take a boating safety course in Florida. Not yet.
But there is a law that makes negligent vessel operation causing serious injury or death a third-degree felony, up to 5 years in prison. And "I never took a course" is not a defense in court. Knowledge is.

The good news? FWC offers free boating safety courses online. A few hours. Free. It could be the thing that keeps you, your passengers, and someone else's family safe.
Take the course. Share this with every boater you know.
Follow the Carter Viss Foundation for Florida boating law updates and safety education that saves lives.

Free FWC Boating Safety Course: myfwc.com/boating/safety- education https://bit.ly/4v9c2sj

07/07/2026

Florida's manta rays need our help, and we're proud to help spread the word about this important conservation effort.

The Carter Viss Foundation is sharing this initiative led by The International SeaKeepers Society and the Marine Megafauna Foundation to raise awareness about one of the world's only known urban manta ray nurseries, located right here in Florida.

Many people don't realize that juvenile manta rays return to the same waters year after year. Unfortunately, boat strikes and fishing gear continue to injure these incredible animals simply because many boaters don't know they're there.

By signing the pledge, you're supporting efforts to:
✔️Raise awareness about Florida's manta ray habitats
✔️Encourage safer boating practices around marine wildlife
✔️Support science-based conservation and education
✔️Help protect these critical habitats for future generations
Conservation starts with awareness, and every signature helps amplify this important message.

Sign the pledge and learn more about this initiative from The International SeaKeepers Society and the Marine Megafauna Foundation.

Together, we can help create safer waters for people and for marine life.

Address

Jupiter, FL
33458

Website

http://Www.Cartervissfoundation.org/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Carter Viss Foundation posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to Carter Viss Foundation:

Want your organization to be the top-listed Non Profit Organization in Jupiter?