Photo Credit: National Safe Boating Council
Thousands will be using the expected good weather to hit lakes and beaches this Labor Day weekend, and at the same time the 2021 early Teal and Canada Goose waterfowl hunting seasons opened this past Wednesday. The resulting high numbers of boaters has the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources sounding out about safety.
Of major concern is the use of floatation devices, or lifejackets, on the water. All told so far this year, 19 people have died in boating accidents in Wisconsin according to the DNR, while the Great Lakes Surface Rescue Project says that 33 persons have drowned in Lake Michigan, mostly in non-boating accidents.
The Wisconsin DNR says that among the boaters, only two of the 19 victims were wearing lifejackets. One of the two was apparently killed in a collision while the other lost their floatation device upon entry into the water, suggesting that it wasn’t properly fastened.
While lifejackets undoubtedly save lives, they have to be properly fitted and fastened snugly. The DNR says that behavior also has a large role to play, as the top four leading causes of watercraft accidents are operator inexperience, inattention, recklessness and speeding.
So this weekend, enjoy the waters, but do it safely. Be sober, use good judgement, and wear that lifejacket at all times, because when something goes wrong and you’re in the water, it’s too late to put it on.
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