Each year, on average, 700 people die in boating-related accidents nationwide. Nearly 80 percent of the victims were not wearing a life jacket. In Pennsylvania, 17 boaters died in 2014 as a result of recreational boating accidents and only three of them were wearing a life jacket at the time of the accident.
National Safe Boating Week is scheduled each year as the first full week before Memorial Day weekend, which is often thought of as the unofficial start of warm weather and the boating season in Pennsylvania. Boaters should note that:
- Boats must have a U.S. Coast Guard approved wearable (Type I, II, III, or V) life jacket on board for each person.
- Children 12 years of age and younger must wear their life jackets while underway on any boat 20 feet or less in length and on all canoes and kayaks.
Boaters can demonstrate their personal commitment to wearing a life jacket by visiting the PFBC website and submitting the online “Wear It Pennsylvania!” pledge form. The pledge form and a special video by PFBC Executive Director John Arway touting the importance of life jackets can be found at: http://www.fishandboat.com/wear-it-message.htm.
| Wear It Pennsylvania! Pledge |
I believe that life jackets save lives, and that drowning fatalities related to boating accidents would be dramatically reduced if more boaters wore life jackets. I pledge to:
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The above information was taken from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commissions website.
Link to PA Fish and Boat Commission Safe Boating Week: http://fishandboat.com/safeboatingweek.htm
Susquehanna Chapter of Trout Unlimited 