Be a safer boater and take a NASBLA approved safe boating course soon
Taking a boating safety class pays rich rewards according the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA). NASBLA has just released a study they sponsored on the benefits of best practices in boating safety education. The study points to a strong relationship between states with long histories of boating education and reduced numbers of boating fatalities. Study results show that the longer safety education program has been in place, the better the associated state boating safety record.
NASBLA Education Committee member Emily King says that, "Those of us who have worked in the boating education field for years have known the intuitively that there is a correlation between education and lower fatalities, but now we have the data to prove it."
In the United States, 44 of the 50 states require some form of boating safety education to operate a boat on their state waters. The requirements vary wildly from minimal class contact time to full blown licensure programs. Supported by the research findings, NASBLA continues to push states without boating education requirements to join their neighbors to improve safety. NASBLA has a model act available for state review that provides guidance in development of a new program to reduce boating fatalities.
There are many choices available for boaters in finding NASBLA approved boating safety courses. The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary has a program called America's Boating Course that can be taken on-line, in a traditional classroom or off the provided CD. The course is recognized nationally as an approved course and takes just a little personal time to complete.
