Find out how to avoid boat accidents this summer with our 8 essential boat safety tips.
Boating is a favorite pastime of many Georgians. As soon as the temperature starts to warm up, it’s time for many to get their boat back on the water. Whether you enjoy fishing, snorkeling, water skiing, or the beautiful scenery, boating is ideal for a fun, relaxing day.
When you go out on your boat, make sure you keep safety in mind. The last thing you want on a beautiful, sunny day is a boating accident with injuries.
- Life jackets. When you’re out on the ocean or a lake you’rerequired by law to have personal floating devices on the boat. Children under 13 must wear alife jacketat all times. If you’rein an area marked hazardous, everyone on the boat must wear their life jacket. Keep in mind that many boating-related deaths are due to drowning, which can be prevented with a life jacket most of the time. Make sure everyone’s life jacket fits properly.
- Don’t drink. When you go out on the boat, always keep safety in mind. You never want to be steering your boat while intoxicated. Many boat accidents take place because of alcohol. When you’re drinking, you lose your inhibitions, which means you could go faster and be less cautious. The last thing you want is to accidentally hurt or kill someone because you’re careless behind the helm.
- Stay hydrated. When you’re out on the boat on a hot day; you should make sure you drink many fluids along with everyone on the boat. A hot day in Savannah can lead to dehydration quicker than you realize, especially when you’re directly in the sun.
- Don’t speed. Many boat accidents happen because of speeding. When you’re speeding, you don’t have as much control over the boat, which can easily cause an accident. You may not see someone jet skiing or water skiing until you’re up close, which can cause a severe accident.
- First aid kit. You should always have a first aid kit on your boat. Accidents sometimes happen, and the more prepared you are, the better the outcome for the injured person. Before you go out on the water, check your first aid kit to make sure you have everything you need.
- Check the weather. The weather can change in a matter of hours. Before you go out on the water for the day or a trip, make sure you check the weather report, so you don’t run into any dangerous surprises.
- Don’t overload your boat. Every boat has a passenger limit. Those limits are there for a reason. The holiday weekend is coming up, and you may want to invite friends and family on your boat. Keep those passenger limits in mind as you invite people. You don’t want to put your boat and passengers at risk of capsizing,
- Boat safety course. If you recently purchased a boat, you may want to take a boat safety course to ensure safety protocols. You don’t want to put you, your family, or friends at risk because you didn’t know how to keep them safe.
Going out on the boat for the day can be relaxing and fun for everyone, but it’s essential to know the rules to keep everyone safe. When you’re on the ocean or lake, remember to be careful of the wildlife as well.
Trust our car accident attorneys to provide top-tier legal representation each step of the way. If you have been hurt in a boating accident, our skilled personal injury lawyers are here to help – so contact Mike Hostilo Law Firm today to schedule your free consultation!
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