Boating education may be, well, educational for teen boaters, but it’s no cure-all in preventing accidents.

It is, however, a state requirement for boaters born on or after Jan.1,1988, who operate a craft over 10 HP without an adult on board. The idea behind the law, which requires this segment of boaters to earn a Boating Safety Education identification card, is that information will improve performance. Less certain is whether it hones judgment.

“Just because the child has the education doesn’t mean they have they the maturity to operate that boat,” said Lt. Seth Wagner of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. “At the same time, we can’t legislate that.”

A recent tragic case illustrates the troubling point.

The teen operator of a 13-foot Boston Whaler had earned the ID card, as did some of the other six teens also aboard the boat, which crashed at night into a low bridge at Dixie Highway and Northeast 18th Court in Fort Lauderdale. John Baker, 17, was killed. Three of his friends were injured. The Aug. 13 accident is still under investigation.

“It's a tragedy, to state the obvious,” says Paul Greenbaum, a Coast Guard Auxiliary marine and environmental officer with Flotilla 3-8.

Before receiving the state ID card, boaters must take a safety class in person or online and then receive a score of at least 75 percent on the Florida Certification exam.

Courses teach basic standards on how vessels operate and other safety material.

In 2014, 17 boating accidents in the state of Florida involved teenagers 17 and younger, according to Wagner. Of the 17 accidents, seven operators had earned the card; five did not. It’s unknown if the remaining five had cards or not, Wagner said.

There were over three times as many accidents that same year in the 17 to 21 year old age group. Of the 55 accidents written up in the state, 35 boaters had received the card, 18 had not and two cases were unknown.

“It can’t hurt to have it,” Wagner said, of boating education. “Whether or not it’s doing any good is a hard thing to measure. Just because you’ve had the education doesn’t mean you’re going to make good choices.” According to David Wolf on www.FloridaChildInjury.com, “there are just too many risks associated with boating to hand over full responsibility to a teen or child. “Adult supervision is key to preventing injuries, including those related to drowning or near-drowning incidents... It takes a certain maturity, strength and experience to properly react when there is an emergency.”

Teens Perry Cohen and Austin Stephanos, both 14, are also believed to have met a tragic fate this summer on the water, never returning from a fishing trip that began on Jupiter Inlet in July.

Many boating situations present challenges, such as boating at night, which demands concentration. In the dark, the eyes can be tricked in unexpected ways, known as the autokinetic effect.

Experienced boaters know to use their hearing as well as their eyes, to slow speed, and arrange interior lighting to avoid being blinded by your own illumination. The parents of Austin Stephanos established the Austin Blu Foundation to honor their son and his friend. It is dedicated to raising awareness, providing education and making tools and technology available to prevent boating accidents.

They want to promote the use of personal location beacons and emergency position-indicating radio beacons, used to help find people lost at sea.

In a family statement about their son Austin, they wrote: “His life story is as much a love story as a cautionary tale. The ocean was the love of his life. The lesson of his life, in part. Take every precaution when on or in the majestic yet powerful ocean.”

Teens boating without adult supervision need to keep in mind the risks, says Joe Capua, a sergeant supervisor with the Broward Sheriff's Marine Patrol.

“Boating is a way of life here, just like dune-buggying is in California,” he says, mentioning another hobby with inherent risks.

“Boating is a matter of education, common sense, respecting your environment and knowing your limitations.”