|
PORTSMOUTH, Va.
- Over the course of the last month, Coast
Guard personnel responded to at least six
separate accidents involving personal
watercraft resulting in six deaths within
the Fifth District spanning from Central New
Jersey to North Carolina.
One person
was killed and another injured Monday after
a jet ski and a 28-foot boat collided about
three miles west of Indian River Inlet, Del.
The common factors in the accidents include
boating under the influence, lack of wearing
life jackets, and poor execution of safe
boating practices.
The Coast
Guard strongly urges boaters to wear life
jackets, and refrain from drinking and
driving personal watercraft. In addition, do
not overload boats with excess passengers
and take extra care navigating at night and
in unfamiliar waters.
"Boaters should take advantage of the free
vessel safety check provided by experienced
members of the Coast Guard Auxiliary to
ensure personal watercraft are safe to
operate," said Lt. Scott Murphy, command
duty officer for the Atlantic Area and Fifth
District. "However, safe boating is the
responsibility of those operating personal
watercraft."
Almost
three-quarters of all fatal boating accident
victims drowned, and of those, nearly 90%
were not wearing a life jacket. It is the
law on all federal waters including the
Chesapeake and Delaware Bays, tributaries
and coastal waters. Also, children under 13
must wear an appropriate Coast
Guard-approved life jacket, unless they are
below decks or within an enclosed cabin.
-
The most frequently reported boating
accident are collisions with another
vessel, so it is important to maintain a
safe speed, post a lookout and ensure
all navigation lights work. Spotlights
can be very helpful, and ensure all
safety gear is readily available and
life jackets are worn.
-
The use of alcohol is involved in about
a third of all recreational boating
fatalities. It is illegal to operate a
boat while under the influence of
alcohol or drugs in every state. The
Coast Guard also enforces a federal law
that prohibits boating under the
influence. This law pertains to all
boats from canoes and rowboats to the
largest ships.
-
Boating under the influence affects
vision, including decreased peripheral
vision, reduced depth perception,
decreased night vision, poor focus, and
difficulty in distinguishing colors such
as red and green. Inner ear disturbances
can make it impossible for a person who
falls into the water to distinguish up
from down. Furthermore, alcohol creates
a physical sensation of warmth, which
may prevent a person in cold water from
getting out before hypothermia sets
in.
|
