Safe Boating... All Summer Long
By: News Canada
In Canada, studies show boating is a safe family activity.
Almost every problem we hear about is the result of a stupid
decision – mixing alcohol with boating and/or ignoring safety
regulations. There are some very simple ways to keep you and your
family safe while boating.
The most common accident to passengers and crew is falling
overboard. In fact, 40% of all fatal boating accidents arise from
this. It can be avoided if boaters make sure they have good
footing and a good hand-hold at all times. If you need to move
around in the boat, hold on to both sides and keep your weight
low.
Don't mix alcohol and water. In a Red Cross Society study,
two-thirds of boating injury victims – where the blood alcohol
level was recorded – had consumed alcohol. Almost 40% had an
alcohol level above the legal limit. In addition to being
illegal, it's clearly a dangerous idea to operate a boat and
drink.
Always carry enough Personal Floatation Devices (PFDs) for each
person on board. For water-skiing, fishing or simply cruising,
PFDs are absolutely essential. It's now even easier to find the
ideal PFD because they're available in a wide array of colours
and patterns. Choose one to match your swimsuit or boat and make
sure it fits properly! The Red Cross Society study noted 92% of
boating-related drowning victims were not wearing a PFD or
lifejacket correctly!
Boating, practiced by smart boaters is safe. U.S. statistics show
boating is twice as safe as biking, five times as safe as driving
and 24 times as safe as scuba diving. By practicing safe boating,
you're guaranteed to have a great time boating all summer long.
To get more information on boating, including a free CD-ROM
entitled "Discover Boating", visit
www.discoverboating.ca
News Canada provides a wide selection of current, ready-to-use
copyright free news stories and ideas for Television, Print,
Radio, and the Web.
Find More Sports Related Information:
Back to Index of Water Sports & Boating
Index of All Sports Articles
Index of all Baseball Articles
