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Duck Boat Injuries

Atlanta Duck Boat Tour Injury Lawyers

Helping tourists injured on duck boat tours at Stone Mountain Park

If you have spent any time at Stone Mountain Park, you have probably seen the “ducks” – amphibious vehicles that travel in water and on land. These duck tours are found in major cities across the country, including Philadelphia, Boston, and Branson. The tours may seem like a lot of fun, but the last few years have seen an uptick in deadly duck tours.

At Harris Lowry Manton LLP, we represent tourists and residents of Georgia who have been critically injured while taking a duck boat tour. We also represent families who have lost their loved ones in deadly accidents on land and in the water. Call us in Atlanta or Savannah to learn how we can help.

Duck boat design can make them deadly

Duck boats look like a cross between a school bus and boat, and they are based on the amphibious vehicles used for supply runs in World War II. Their very design, however, is what makes them so dangerous.

Many of these vehicles have the same design as they did in WWII. Part of that design is the hard-top canopy – the part that makes them look like buses. If a duck boat starts to sink, the canopy prevents people from being able to swim away from the vehicle. Instead, it traps them under the canopy, and drags them down into the water. Because the boats sit so low in that water, they sink quickly.

In short, even if you are wearing a life jacket, you may not be able to make it out from the duck boat in time, and the life jacket’s buoyancy is not strong enough to propel you upwards.

Lack of oversight and regulations contributes to their danger

This hybrid nature of duck boats poses a serious concern for regulatory industries: Is it a car? Is it a boat? Does the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration regulate their tours, or does that fall to the Coast Guard? No one really know who should be in charge, so no one really is.

Liable parties in duck boat tour accidents

The issues with regulation, however, do not mean that these tour companies can ignore federal safety standards. Duck boats are technically common carriers, which means their owners and operators owe a duty of care to the people who take their tours.

The tour company

The tour company may be found liable if:

  • They fail to inspect and maintain their fleet
  • They fail to adequately train their employees and drivers
  • They fail to use reasonable care to avoid hazards, on land or in the water
  • They fail to provide seat belts and/or life jackets
  • Their drivers operate the vehicles in a negligent or reckless way
  • They fail to recall any vehicles which have known or discovered defects, flaws, or faulty mechanisms

The drivers

Duck boat tour employees must operate the vehicles within the confines of the laws. For example, if a driver is speeding and he or she hits another car, the driver can be liable. The same is true if the driver is drunk, impaired by drugs, fatigued, or distracted behind the wheel. Drivers may also be liable if they ignore safety warnings, like road closure signs or weather reports which indicate storms are coming.

The park

Stone Mountain Park is the only place in Georgia where duck boat tours currently operate. Depending on the nature of the incident, the owners of the park may be liable for any injuries you sustain.

Common duck boat tour injuries

Our injury lawyers handle a wide array of claims involving tourism vehicles like duck boats. Some of the more common injuries include:

Whether you have sustained injuries while the vehicle was in the water, or in a collision with another object on land, Harris Lowry Manton LLP is prepared to fight for you. If you lost a loved one to drowning or a vehicle collision, our Georgia wrongful death lawyers can help.

If you were hurt on a duck boat tour, call Harris Lowry Manton LLP

The Atlanta injury lawyers of Harris Lowry Manton LLP represent clients throughout Georgia in their claims for compensation. If you were injured while taking a duck boat tour at Stone Mountain Park, we want to help. Call our Atlanta office at 404-961-7650 or our Savannah office at 912-651-9967 to schedule a free consultation. You can also complete our contact form.

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