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 “While we look forward to observing Memorial Day
and the start of the summer outdoor recreation season, our busy
boating season in Illinois is already underway, and we want boaters
to be safe on the water throughout the year,” said IDNR Director
Colleen Callahan. “IDNR Conservation Police will be out on the water
with you, reminding boat operators to be safe and sober, and
reminding everyone aboard the boat to keep safety in mind.”
A year ago, IDNR Conservation Police investigated 81 boating
accidents involving 36 injuries and 21 fatalities. Nationally, the
U.S. Coast Guard notes that drowning was the reported cause of death
in four out of every five recreational boating fatalities in 2019,
and that 86 percent of those who drowned were not wearing life
jackets.
Top boating safety reminders:
• Wear a life jacket. Wearing a Coast Guard-approved personal
floatation device (PFD) is one of the simple things you can do
whether you’re solo in a kayak, paddling with the family in a canoe,
or operating a larger boat on a busy lake or river. PFDs are
required on jet skis and wave runners. PFDs for everyone aboard the
boat are required, and kids under 13 must wear a life jacket
whenever a boat is underway.
• Motor boat operators should make sure all the required equipment
is aboard, including a properly charged fire extinguisher, working
horn and whistle, working navigation lights, and flares.
• A new federal law requires engine cut-off
switches (ECOS) and links or lanyards that shut the boat motor off
if the boat operator is displaced from the helm, preventing runaway
boats from causing damage or injuries. [to top of second
column] |
• Stay sober. Just like driving a car or truck, you
can’t operate a boat under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Conservation Police arrested more than 100 boaters on charges of
operating under the influence (OUI) last year.
“The best way for boaters to enjoy their time on the
water this summer is to follow the rules,” said IDNR Law Enforcement
Director Timothy Tyler. “Our Conservation Police Officers will be
diligent in enforcing the law when it comes to sober boating. Anyone
operating a boat under the influence of alcohol or drugs will be
subject to arrest. The message for boat operators is simple – and
bears repeating: If you booze, you lose.”
Boat operators must also follow the laws regarding careless or
reckless operation, overloading a boat, observing restricted areas
and no-wake zones, and adhering to other navigation rules, Tyler
added.
The Handbook of Illinois Boating Laws and Responsibilities has
details on what boaters can and cannot do in Illinois. The handbook
is available on the IDNR website at
https://www2.illinois.gov/
dnr/boating/Documents/BoatDigest.
pdf
The annual Illinois Recreational Boating Report for Federal Fiscal
Year 2020, with information on boating accidents, enforcement and
safety, is available on the IDNR website at
https://www2.
illinois.gov/dnr/safety/Documents/
BoatingAccidentReport2020.pdf
[Illinois Office of Communication and
Information]
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