COLUMBUS, OH - Memorial Day weekend, May 27-30, marks the traditional start of Ohio’s summer boating season and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) encourages boaters to keep safety on the water as their highest priority.
“We want people to enjoy Ohio’s waters and we also want them to come home safely at the end of the day,” said Ken Alvey, chief of the ODNR Division of Watercraft. “When the proper measures are taken, boating accidents can be avoided and lives can be saved.”
The ODNR Division of Watercraft reports that while boating has grown more popular over the last 25 years, fatalities have declined during that period. The majority of fatalities that do occur involve males age 18 to 50.
Speed is rarely a factor in boating-related fatalities, say watercraft officials. Falling overboard and drowning because of the failure to wear a life jacket (or wear it properly) is the single biggest culprit in boating fatalities. In 2003, Ohio recorded 19 boating-related fatalities, followed by a record low seven fatalities in 2004.
Three people have died this year in boating-related fatalities in Mercer and Fairfield counties. None of the three were wearing life jackets when their boats capsized or were swamped in rough water.
“In each of these cases, there were lifejackets on board, but the victims were not wearing them at the time the boat capsized,” Alvey said.
He emphasized that today’s life jackets are designed to be lightweight and comfortable - not like the bulky, orange vests of the past, which still serve as effective flotation devices. “Today’s styles are more appealing to those who should be wearing them,” Alvey said.
Ohio law requires any person riding a jet ski or being towed behind a boat to wear a life jacket. In addition, any child under age 10 who is riding on a boat less than 18 feet long, must wear a life jackets when on the water.
Boaters are also reminded that, as with driving a motor vehicle, drinking alcohol while operating a boat is a lethal combination. Watercraft officers will issue citations to boaters who are driving a boat while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. A person with a blood alcohol content of .08 or more is considered legally intoxicated in Ohio.
Additional factors to take into consideration when boating are the location of other watercraft, water levels, currents or drift, wind and waves. A weather radio and a cellular phone are “must haves” when boating on Lake Erie or in rural and unpopulated areas.
“One way to make sure a day on the water is fun and safe is by completing a boater education course,” Alvey said. “The classes are offered statewide and listings are available online at ohiodnr.com and through home study.”
Lake Erie water levels are expected to be at or slightly above normal throughout the summer. However, boaters still need to watch for sandbars and banks, which are generally marked. Obstacles in Lake Erie can change from year to year, so boaters should not rely on outdated charts.
For additional information about boater education courses and other boating programs and opportunities, visit the ODNR web site at ohiodnr.com .