NEW CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED TO IMPROVE BOATING SAFETY
Brian Berry
California, Nevada, Arizona, the National Park Service, and the
Personal Watercraft Industry Association Join Forces to form the “Lake Mead
Safe Boating Partnership”
Los Angeles, CA -- The National Park Service, three state agencies and
the personal watercraft industry joined forces today to unveil a new
campaign aimed at improving safety and reducing boating accidents and
fatalities at Lake Mead National Recreation Area. The creation of the
“Lake Mead Safe Boating Partnership” was announced today at the Los
Angeles Boat Show. The National Park Service (NPS), the California
Department of Boating and Waterways, Nevada Department of Wildlife, Arizona Game and Fish Department, and the Personal Watercraft Industry Association
(PWIA) created the partnership to promote safe boating practices among
boaters who visit Lake Mead and Lake Mohave. The National Park Service
reported 149 boating accidents and 4 boating fatalities on Lake Mead
and Lake Mohave in 2005; the Lake Mead Safe Boating Partnership aims to
bring these numbers down.
“Approximately 8-10 million visitors come to Lake Mead National
Recreation Area each year,” said Lake Mead National Recreation Area
Superintendent Bill Dickinson. “Fortunately most boaters have an enjoyable time
free of any incidents but even one boating tragedy is one too many,
especially because most boating accidents are completely avoidable.
Because so many of our boaters are from California, Arizona, and Nevada, it
made perfect sense for all of us to join forces.”
About half of all visitors at Lake Mead National Recreation Area come
from out-of-state, particularly California. Because each state has its
own set of boating laws, the Lake Mead Safe Boating Partnership advises
boaters to “play it safe” by following the strictest of guidelines,
which include wearing a lifejacket at all times, always taking a boating
safety course before leaving the dock or marina, and never operating a
boat under the influence of alcohol or drugs. These are guidelines the
partnership advises all boaters to follow. In some cases, they might
be required by law. Boating laws for California, Nevada, and Arizona
are summarized and can be reviewed at www.boatcoloradoriver.com and
www.boatlakemead.com.
For instance, anyone born after January 1, 1983 must carry proof of
having passed a boating safety course to operate a boat in the state of
Nevada (Lake Mead). In other cases, any boater 12 years or younger must
wear a lifejacket at all times and anyone riding a personal watercraft
(PWC) regardless of age must wear a lifejacket at all times.
Additionally, most drownings involve boaters who aren’t wearing a life jacket
and who have not taken a boating safety course. For this reason, the
partnership wants boaters of all ages and boating experience to follow its
guidelines and treat them as the “rules of the road.”
“Many Californians would consider Lake Mead and Lake Mohave among their
top boating destinations,” said California Department of Boating and
Waterways Director Raynor Tsuneyoshi, “No boater visits Lake Mead
expecting to get in an accident and wind up as another statistic, but boating
accidents can happen in a split second and most of them result from
boaters’ inexperience and inattention. We’ve had great success with the
tri-state boating safety campaign, so we know that partnerships like this
can work well to help prevent many of these avoidable accidents.”
The Lake Mead Safe Boating Partnership is unique in that it brings
together not only the efforts of the federal government and three state
agencies, but also the private sector to strengthen boater safety. The
Personal Watercraft Industry Association (PWIA), which represents the
four manufacturers of personal watercraft, will play an integral part in
the efforts of the partnership.
“Lake Mead is one of the most popular places to ride personal
watercraft in the country,” said Maureen Healey, Executive Director of PWIA.
“And while boating is one of America’s most treasured pastimes, one must
never forget that a boat is a motorized vessel that should be
approached with the same caution and respect as a car. No matter how long
you’ve been boating, the Lake Mead Safe Boating Partnership wants everyone
to take a refresher course this year to brush-up on the rules and
guidelines specific for boating at Lake Mead and Lake Mohave,” said Ms.
Healey.
The Lake Mead Safe Boating Partnership will host its first public event
during the 2006 National Safe Boating Week (May 20-26). On May 20th,
2006 the partnership will host a boating safety day at Lake Mead where
boating safety classes will be offered at no cost, and boaters can have
their vessels and lifejackets checked so they meet safety requirements.
More can be learned by visiting www.boatlakemead.com
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