Recreational Boating Safety Trends

The Chairman of the NTSB points out the progress being made to improve recreational boating safety and suggests steps that can be taken for continuing these improvements.

National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Chairman Mark V. Rosenker spoke with members of the Marine Retailers Association of America (MRAA) at their annual conference held in Las Vegas this week concerning changes by the marine industry and state governments to improve boating safety. Rosenker's message is that progress is being made to improve boating safety, but much more work is required reduce boating fatalities and accidents.

Personal Flotation Devices (PFD) - The focus of the Chairman's remarks was on improving the use of PFDs. The use of personal flotation devices has long been a priority of the NTSB and that mandatory wear of PFDs by children is a must. All of the state should undertake efforts to increase and enhance the use of lifejackets.

NTSB 2008 Most Wanted Safety Improvements List - State recreational boating safety was retained on the NTSB's 2008 Most Wanted Safety Improvements List. Specific recommendations to the states include lifejacket wear by children, boating safety education and operator licensing. Improvements in PFD wear can be tied to better boating safety education and Rosenker stressed the Agency's goal of encouraging new boating safety initiatives in six states, California, Maine, Massachusetts, Utah, North Carolina and Minnesota.

Speaking to the MRAA members, Rosenker recognized their support of boating safety, "For more than two and one half decades the National Transportation Safety Board has been pleased to work with the MRAA in advancing recreational boating safety on our Nation's waterways." He later encouraged the audience to "further improve boating safety for the rest of 2007 and into the new year 2008, so that we together can further reduce recreational boating fatalities, injuries, and accidents."

Chairman Rosenker's speech may be read at the NTSB website.