Nearly 80 percent of fatal boating incidents involve drowning. Drowning can happen to even the most experienced swimmers.
Most people who drown in boating accidents know how to swim but become incapacitated in the water, such as being injured, unconscious, exhausted or weighed down by clothing.
The Wisconsin DNR reminds you to put safety first by boating sober and wearing a life jacket when you cast off.
Alcohol use is a leading factor in recreational boating fatalities. If alcohol is involved in your day of boating, have a designated operator. Operating a boat is no different than driving a car.
So far this year, two people have died from boating incidents, and another 20 died in 2022. Operator inexperience, inattention, recklessness and speeding are the four leading causes of tragic watercraft crashes.
The easiest and most important thing for people to remember is to boat sober and wear their life jackets. Statistics show boaters who wear life jackets and take boater safety courses are most likely to stay safe on Wisconsin waters.
Water Safety Tips
- Take an online boater education course: https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/Education/OutdoorSkills/safetyEducation
- Always wear a properly fitted life jacket with a snug fit and fastened when you’re on or near the water.
- Enjoy the waters sober and know your limits. Alcohol blurs a person’s judgment, reaction time and abilities.
- River shorelines and sandbars pose unseen dangers. Higher, fast-moving water can tax an individual’s boating, paddling and swimming skills.
- Keep an eye on the weather and let someone know where you are going.
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