April 08, 2017
Avoid a Lawsuit: Know Boating Safety Before Hitting the Lake
Nobody wants a fun day out in the sun and water to turn to tragedy and a personal injury or liability lawsuit. To avoid a person being terribly injured or dying on a boating trip, follow the steps below to make sure everyone stays safe.
Be Weather Conscious
Check the weather before heading out and if a storm looks like it could come close, take along a radio or make sure your phone will have data coverage so you can keep tabs on it.
Make a Checklist
Make sure to be prepared for any accident, you don’t want anything bad to get worse. You can find a checklist to follow on Discover Boating’s website.
Appoint a Skipper
When you go out on the water, especially in a group, you need to make sure that someone besides yourself knows how the boat works so if you get in a pinch they can help you out and make sure everyone stays safe.
Limit Alcohol Consumption
If you and your friends or family plan on partying a bit on your boat, make sure everyone agrees to a plan. If a few people are fine sticking to one beer and can make sure that anyone who starts to go overboard (on the alcohol) doesn’t go overboard (into the water). Make sure to pack plenty of water and snacks so that if someone does begin to cause trouble you can sober them up.
Know How to Swim
Obviously, if you are going out into the water, you should know how to swim. You don’t have to have a fleet of future Olympians but knowing the simple basics that can be learned in a couple hours is worth it.
It is important to note that these guidelines will help keep everyone in your party safe, as well as those on other boats or on rafts in the water surrounding you.