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Patrols Increase For Water Safety

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) Conservation Police have stepped up patrols and are reminding boaters to stay safe on the water. Next week is National Safe Boating Week. Boat safety is important as a year ago, the IDNR investigated 81 boating accidents involving 36 injuries and 21 fatalities. The US Coast Guard says that four out of every five boating fatalities in 2019 were from drowning and 86% of those were not wearing a life jacket.

 

The IDNR would like to remind you to please wear a life jacket when on the water. The Coast Guard says that everyone aboard the boat must have some kind of personal floatation device and kids under 13 must wear a life jacket whenever a boat is underway. Motorboat operators should also make sure all required equipment is aboard including a fire extinguisher, working horn and whistle, navigation lights, and flares. A new law requires engine cut-off switches (ECOS) and links that shut the boat motor off if the boat operator is displaced. This prevents boats from taking off and causing damage or injuries. 

 

Finally, the Coast Guard and the IDNR ask you to stay sober. Treat driving a boat just like a car or truck. Conservation police arrested more than 100 boaters last year on charges of operating under the influence. 

 

Click here for more tips on water safety and what is allowed on water.

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