Click
here for a boating safety message from Rear Adm. Steve Branham, Seventh
Coast Guard District commander.
MIAMI - The Coast Guard encourages boaters to be safe on the water by
boating responsibly during the Memorial Day weekend.
Recent and expected weather conditions could create dangerous rip
currents and unpredictable hazards in the water. Boaters should take extra
precaution this holiday weekend and prepare accordingly.
More than 700 people die every year in America as a result of
recreational boating accidents. Many more were injured and millions of
dollars worth of property was lost in accidents that probably could have
been prevented with the proper training and equipment.
Boaters are reminded of five key potentially life saving tips as they
head out for Memorial Day:
1. Always wear a lifejacket. Approximately 90 percent of people who
drowned in boating accidents were not wearing a lifejacket.
2. Don’t drink and boat. Alcohol use is the leading contributing factor
in fatal boating accidents.
3. Take a boating safety course. Approximately 70 percent of all fatal
accidents occurred on a vessel with an operator that had no formal boating
safety instruction.
4. Get a vessel safety inspection. Even if you pay careful attention to
safety, dangerous mechanical problems can crop up on the best-maintained
boats. That's why the Coast Guard recommends that all recreational boaters
take advantage of the free vessel safety check program every year.
5. File a float plan. A float plan is simply letting a reliable loved one
or friend know where you are going, when you are going to be back, and what
kind of vessel you have. That person can call the Coast Guard if you don’t
return on time and save critical minutes during a search.
Boaters should remember that they are in command, and they may save more
than their life by practicing safe boating. They may save the life of
someone they love.
