Boating Safely: Things to Know Before You’re Out on the Water
It’s summer! And with summer comes all kinds of fun opportunities to enjoy the outdoors, including boating. When the sun is on your face, the wind is in your hair and the spray is keeping you cool, it’s easy to leave safety behind. But according to the United States Coast Guard, there were 709 fatal boating accidents and over $54 million dollars in damage in 2008 due to boating accidents. The number one cause of fatalities? Nearly two-thirds were caused by drowning and of those, 90% were not wearing a life jacket.
UL, a recognized leading safety organization with more than 40 years of technical expertise in personal flotation device testing, offers this safety information if you find yourself with the lucky opportunity to get out on a boat this summer.
5 Things to Know Before You Go
Be prepared: Have at least one U.S. Coast Guard-approved/UL-Listed personal flotation device (PFD) for each person on board and make sure each life jacket is appropriate for each passenger’s height and weight. Life jacket requirements and information can be found at www.uscgboating.org.
No substitutions allowed: Remember that inflatable toys, rafts, ski jackets or belts and other devices are not approved by the U.S. Coast Guard or UL as flotation devices. These items are essentially toys and should not be used as a substitute for a PFD.
Do not overload your boat: Capsizing and falls overboard are the most common causes of fatal accidents and account for more than half of all boating fatalities. Pay attention to the capacity label on your boat and be careful not to overload small boats with passengers and/or gear.
Take a safety course: Approximately 90 percent of all reported fatalities occurred on boats where the operator had not received boating safety instruction. If you own or plan on operating a boat, contact the local office of the U.S. Coast Guard to learn more about taking a boating safety course.
Drink responsibly: Alcohol was listed as the leading contributing factor in fatal boating accidents in 2008. Sun and dehydration can heighten the effects of alcohol, so be aware and drink responsibly.
For more information on life jacket safety, click here.
Sources:
UL, and the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Coast Guard study, “Boating Statistics – 2004: You’re In Command, Boat Responsibly.”
United States Coast Guard “Recreational Boating Statistics 2008”
