Boat Ed’s Top Five Boating Safety Tips for the July 4th Weekend
Boat-ed 07.03.14
Did you know that historically, July has been by far the most dangerous month for boating accidents and fatalities? Last year was no different with over 900 reported accidents during the month, primarily on the weekends. What can we infer from this? Well, it’s pretty simple actually. Boating activity increases during the summer months, and more activity equates to a higher chance of being involved in a boating accident. We want you to be safe, so we’ve collected the five most important safety tips so that you and your loved ones can stay safe this Independence Day.
“We monitor the boating industry year-round, and with warmer weather comes the increased potential for boating accidents. Education and awareness are key factors in preventing accidents. The purpose of any boating safety course or training material is to prepare boaters for a variety of scenarios in and out of the water,” said Kurt Kalkomey, CEO of Boat Ed.
If you are like us here at Boat Ed, you aren’t going to let that fear keep you from enjoying some waves, and why should you? Boaters simply need to hit the water with safety in mind. Be aware of the causes, and know how to avoid them. Let’s take a look at the statistics and some of the major contributing factors of accidents in 2013.
- Alcohol use: Don’t drink and operate a boat. Not only is it dangerous, it’s illegal. Plus, it inhibits your ability to make clear decisions out on the water. The motion of the water, sun, heat, and wind all heighten the effects of alcohol on your body and brain. It’s easy, folks: boat sober.
- Operator inattention/improper lookout: Ever heard the phrase “don’t text and drive?” Well, that phrase is indicating it is dangerous to distract yourself while driving a vehicle. Operating a boat is no different. Operators and passengers should always pay attention to their surroundings and be aware of what is going on. Operating a boat requires 100 percent of your attention so you can pick up on any potential hazards.
- Operator inexperience: Sometimes, you just don’t know what you don’t know. That’s why it is important for new boat operators to take a state-approved boating safety course. A boating safety course is often a requirement for boaters. Be sure to look into your state’s requirements before hitting the water.
- Excessive speed: While certain states do have speed limits in certain areas or during certain times of the day, going fast is completely needless in most situations. While boats have big engines, there’s no good reason to max them out. Reports show that excessive speed is a main contributing factor in boating accidents and fatalities. Keep your speed at a safe limit so you can maintain more control over the vessel and adjust your course as necessary.
- Navigation rules violation: Be sure to know the correct navigation rules. For more information, check out Boat Ed’s video on proper navigation rules embedded below. You definitely don’t want to stand-on when you should be giving way. That’ll make for a bad day!
Difference Between Stand-On and Give-Way Vessels
While those five contributing factors only scrape the surface of what operators should be aware of while boating, at least if you hit the water with those points in mind you’ll be able to proactively avoid any sticky situations.
Now, what’s that one thing we’ve all heard about? Oh yeah, a life jacket! There’s one rule when it comes to life jackets: the only good life jacket is the one that’s properly on your body. Wear the life jacket, wear the life jacket, wear the life jacket! We can’t stress it enough, and the proof is in the pudding. According to the United States Coast Guard 2013 Recreational Boating Statistics Report, drowning was the number one cause of fatalities. Furthermore, of all reported drowning cases, 84 percent of the victims were not wearing a life jacket. What’s the bottom line? Life jackets save lives—wear one.
So, what’s the takeaway? We want you to be safe. We want you to realize that there is a chance you could be involved in a boating accident. It might not be your fault, but the risk is there so it’s best to hit the water prepared. Know the causes, go slow, don’t drink, and wear a life jacket.
Please be safe out on the water.
