2007 Safe Boating Campaign

National Safe Boating Council Seeks to Expand Boat Safety Awareness

Apr 19, 2007

The 2007 North American Safe Boating Campaign is underway and offers many new programs aimed at improving boating safety.

Working since 1958, a unique group of collaborators forming the National Safe Boating Council (NSBC) have advocated increased awareness among recreational boaters concerning the importance of wearing a life jacket. It is no small effort to touch each of the 78 some odd million boaters in the United States to further this effort. This year's campaign is focused in four arenas or program areas. These involve providing basic boating safety statistics to boaters and decision makers, conducting National Safe Boating Week, the promotion of the new "Be a Survivor! Initiative, and providing information on how to choose the right life jacket.

2007 Recreational Boating Safety Fact Sheet - The key message related to boating statistics is to remind boaters that accidents happen to all types of users. This includes personal watercraft operators, experienced boaters, skiers, and novices alike. Drowning accounts for 70 percent of the 697 boating fatalities that occurred in 2005 and a huge 87 percent of these victims were not wearing a life jacket. About a fourth of all fatalities involved alcohol use and most fatal incidents were because of a fall overboard or the vessel capsizing. It is interesting to note that in 70 percent of the fatalities, the vessel operator had not received boat safety training.

National Safe Boating Week - This year's boating safety week is scheduled for the week of May 19th to the 25th. The event is intended to highlight boating safety awareness nationally and marks the annual launch of the safe boating campaign. This year's event theme is "Wear It!" and program goals will be emphasized to recreational boaters throughout the country. The Canadian Safe Boating Council is an important partner is the effort with the National Safe Boating Council, along with the U.S. Coast Guard and National Association Of Boating Law Administrators.

"Be a Survivor!" National Initiative - Be a Survivor! is a new plan to encourage boaters to Wear It!, that is, your life jacket. Boaters are invited to summit their real life experiences with the use of personal floatation devices and relate how they allowed the wearer to survive water related incidents. Survivor stories are available at the Safe Boating Council website and local agencies can have a chance to leverage this contest in their boating safety promotions. Finalists in the contest will receive prizes courtesy of West Marine and the chance to have their story published in future editions of NSBC's Saved By the Jacket publication.

How to Choose the Right Life Jacket - Life jackets or personal floatation devices have evolved and offer many varieties of shapes and styles. There is a comfortable, wearable life jacket available for every water based activity. How to select the best life jacket to meant to encourage boaters and others on the waterfront to wear a life jacket and explain the many new options available for these users.

There are many opportunities for individuals and organizations to participate in the 2007 North American Safe Boating Campaign. That advantage of this campaign to learn about safe boating and further your enjoyment of the water.

Your Partners in Boating Safety - Here are safety resources available to your community:

The copyright of the article 2007 Safe Boating Campaign in Boating & Sailing is owned by Alan Sorum. Permission to republish 2007 Safe Boating Campaign in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.