The summer season might be the best time to get the boat out on the water, but it’s also when we see the highest number of drowning fatalities.
Dr. Christopher Love from Lifesaving Society Manitoba is offering a few quick reminders to ensure you make every outing on the water a round-trip.
“Boat sober and wear your lifejacket. Those two things combined can save your life, and make it a lot easier for you to help someone else who gets into a boating incident.”
Dr. Love says one-third of yearly drowning deaths in Manitoba involve boating. 58% of those involve people under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the incident — and 86% of those involved in boating fatalities were not wearing a lifejacket.
"When an emergency happens, it’s far too late to try to find the lifejacket and put it on."
An appropriately sized lifejacket is required for each person on a boat, but Dr. Love says the law does not require you to actually wear it.
“As a safety organization, we advocate that you should be wearing [the lifejacket]. When an emergency happens, it’s far too late to try to find the lifejacket and put it on, especially if you’ve been thrown overboard," Love says.
It’s a minimum $200 fine for each infraction of not having the appropriate safety equipment on a boat. Other boating violations in Manitoba include:
Operating a vessel while underage – $250
Careless boating – $350
Unsafe boating – $500
Dr. Love explains another way to be safe on the water is to always be with a buddy, whether you’re swimming or boating. For parents and caregivers, keep children within arms reach when they are in or around water.
Life Saving Society Manitoba is a national registered charity that’s been in the province working to prevent drownings and water-related injuries since 1911.
For anyone looking to obtain a boating license, the Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC) is the official Transport Canada boating safety course.
