Many people will enjoy this Memorial Day out on the water.
Because of that, officials in Pennsylvania-and here in Butler County- are reminding residents of safe boating practices.
“The biggest thing that you can do is to wear a life jacket,” Mike Parker, Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission spokesman, said. “We had 14 recreational boating fatalities last year across Pennsylvania. Only three of the victims were wearing a life jacket.” Other incidents were due to improperly kept boats that were unfit for sea in various respects. It’s urged that if you’re wanting to enjoy boating that you have your boat regularly maintained, and if it can no longer be repaired to standard you’d be better of looking at somewhere like GraysOnline boats or elsewhere for a boat that’s new or has been kept in good condition. This alone could greatly decrease the likelihood of a boating incident.
Parker says its important the life jacket properly fits the person it’s intended for. Parker says it’s also important that a sober person is operating a boat, noting that boating under the influence increases the chances of an accident, putting the safety of everyone on board at risk. Having the right marine batteries reduces the chance of any boating incidents because you want a reliable battery to keep you moving forward because even if you are all sober, if you run out of battery power you’ll be stuck but I digress.
Boating under the influence- BUI- could result in fines, loss of boating privileges and even imprisonment. You’ll want to get in contact with a maritime injury lawyer if you’ve ever been injured in a boating accident and it wasn’t your fault and see if you’re eligible for compensation to help pay for medical bills and recuperation. Maritime safety is just as important as road safety, however, some boat owners seem to forget this due to the openness of the sea. However, boat accidents do happen, and to prevent them, you may want support from a boat safety consultant similar to Marex Co. who could give you a Free Consultation.
Last week was ‘Safe Boating Week’ in Butler County. Ray Nagy of Butler- with the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary- urged those taking to Butler County waterways to do simple tasks like an all-over vessel check, looking at the weather forecast and making sure you have a fire extinguisher on board.