Boating Safety

Lifejackets are like seat belts - they only work if you wear them, and wear them properly.

--Each year, more than 160 tragic and preventable boating-related fatalities occur across Canada.

--Nearly 90 percent of boaters who drown are not wearing, or are not properly wearing, their lifejacket.

--Alcohol was present or suspected for at least 41 per cent of powerboat drownings.

--A Red Cross report examining 10 years of drowning trends concludes that if all adult men wore a lifejacket or PFD, up to 90 per cent of all boating-related drownings would be prevented.

--It’s not enough to have a lifejacket on board. It is unrealistic and unsafe to assume that a boater will be able to retrieve and properly secure a flotation device while falling overboard, capsizing or colliding with another boat or object.

--If your boat has overturned, hang on to the upstream end of the boat.

--Wind and waves frequently come up suddenly, posing a major threat for swimmers and boaters far from sheltered waters in lakes and on the ocean. Advance verification and ongoing observation of weather conditions is essential.