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Avoid Boating Accidents This Memorial Day Weekend

Boating accidents can make a great weekend go sour. This weekend, across the United States, thousands of boaters will kick off the official start of the summer boating season. In California, thousands of vacationers are expected to be out on the water in all kinds of watercraft. The majority of these people will be college students and teenagers out on the water with little concern for their safety. California boating accident lawyers would recommend the following steps to stay safe on the water this weekend.

Alcohol and water don’t mix. Boating under the influence is a major factor in thousands of boating accidents every year. Unfortunately, during a popular holiday like the Memorial Day weekend, it’s common to find many boaters under the influence of alcohol. The risks of intoxicated boating are too many to enumerate here. Suffice to say that your risks of being involved in a serious or fatal boat accident increase dramatically if you are boating under the influence.

If you’re out on the water with a group of friends and staying away from alcohol is hard, make sure that you designate one member of the group, as the designated driver. This works just as well on water as it does on the road, when you designate a person to stay sober to drive everybody home after a few drinks.

Wear your life jackets. There is no excuse for not wearing life preserving gear. Life jackets are not the bulky gear they used to be just a few years ago. Newer versions are slim, light and comfortable.

Make sure your charts are updated. Very often, inexperienced boaters have to call for emergency help when they run their vessel aground. Make sure that you have all your charts updated, not only on paper, but also on your marine GPS devices. Avoid selecting risky areas where there are unseen hazards in the water that could cause a boat accident.

Make a note of the weather. California tends to enjoy sunny and clear weather during this season, but it is still advisable to make note of any unpredictable weather conditions that might be on the horizon.

Make sure that all the communication equipment on your vessel is in working order and functioning properly. It is not only important to have proper communication equipment on a boat to call for help in case of an emergency, but it is also equally important to know how to operate this equipment.

Whether it’s just you going out on a solitary trip on the ocean, or a group of friends, make sure that you have someone reliable on land who has your itinerary. This person must know what time you’re leaving and what time you’re expected back. If you’re not back by the scheduled time, the person can then notify the Coast Guard and emergency rescue personnel.

Have fun, but always operate the boat at a safe speed. Even if it seems like there are no other boats around, there may be other natural hazards like wakes, that can cause you to lose control of your boat.

The Reeves Law Group is a law firm with offices throughout California dedicated exclusively to the representation of personal injury victims, including victims of boating accidents.

The Reeves Law Group is not representing any party in the matters discussed in this posting.