8/21/2007
Angell Urges Caution and No Alcohol When
Boating - Tom Keith
LINCOLN, Neb. -- Labor Day weekend, the last traditional boating weekend of
the year, will be Sept. 1-3 and Nebraska Boating Law Administrator Herb
Angell urges people to boat safely and wait until their day on the water has
ended before consuming alcohol.
“Nebraska has had six boating fatalities so far this year and five of them
have been alcohol related. Last year we had six fatalities and alcohol was a
contributing factor in five of them also,” Angell said. “That’s 83 percent
of fatalities involving alcohol over a period of two years, which is about
in line with the national average of 90 percent. All of those 10
alcohol-related fatalities could have been prevented.”
Drinking alcohol or possessing an open alcohol container is prohibited in
all state park areas, including on or in the water. Nebraska law makes it
illegal to operate a motorboat while under the influence of alcohol. Angell
urges boaters and passengers to refrain from drinking alcohol on waterways.
The safety of intoxicated passengers is very much at risk, as there have
been numerous reports of intoxicated passengers falling overboard and
drowning.
Many boating deaths could be avoided if people would wear life jackets when
they are on the water. “Life jackets are extremely important to water
safety,” Angell said. “They don’t call them life jackets for nothing, they
really do save lives. Nebraska law says that there must be a life jacket
readily accessible for each person in the boat and it requires people under
13 years of age to wear a life jacket whenever they are in a boat, even if
the boat isn’t moving, except when hunting waterfowl in an anchored boat.”
The causes of many boating accidents are the boat capsizing, passengers
falling overboard, and boats colliding with each other or other watercraft.
It is important that boaters be awake, alert and sober and observe boating
regulations and safety rules when on the water.
“If people would remember just one boating law, it would eliminate many
boating accidents. They should remember that when they are within 30 yards
of another craft, boat, marina, swim beach, dock, anchorage, or landing and
fishing pier they cannot go more than 5 mph, which means their speed should
not generate any wake,” Angell said. “It is also illegal for personal
watercraft to jump the wake of any boat at a distance of less than 50 yards
or the wake of any boat that is towing someone.”
Other basic rules that can help boaters avoid accidents include: know what
the weather forecast is and keep abreast of changing weather conditions
while on the water; keep a lookout for other vessels, swimmers and skiers;
stay within the capacity limits of your boat; and never let an intoxicated
or impaired person take the helm.
“Jet Skis, WaveRunners and so forth are involved in 40 percent of boating
accidents but they make up only about 11 percent of the boats out there.
Skill levels, inattention, and being unaware of the rules cause a lot of
problems. And, people should remember that no one under the age of 18 can
operate a motorboat unless they have successfully completed a Boater
Education Class,” he said.
Powered boats of all types are required to yield to nonpowered boats such as
kayaks and canoes.
“We want people to go out in their boats and enjoy a terrific holiday
weekend, but we want them to do it lawfully and responsibly so they don’t
endanger themselves, their passengers, or other people on the water,” he
said.
