Life Jacket Wear Is a Top Priority of Boating Safety Partners All Year Round

National Safe Boating Council

Washington, DC – Even with summer activities winding down, the National Safe Boating Council (NSBC) encourages all boaters to continue to make life jacket wear a top priority. Boating is a safe and fun recreational activity enjoyed by thousands every year, however, in 2009 there may still be more than 600 boating fatalities from boating accidents.

NSBC encourages life jacket wear as the ”Number One Safety Measure” in the event of a boating accident. By always choosing to “Wear It!” boaters can enjoy safer activities on the water throughout the entire year.

“Routine and consistent life jacket wear should be a part of all water activities regardless of the season,” says Virgil Chambers, Executive Director of the National Safe Boating Council. “Approximately 90 percent of recreational boating drowning victims weren’t wearing a life jacket. Today’s comfortable and stylish life jackets make it easy to ‘Wear It!’ with any water activity.”

Today boaters have the opportunity to choose from a variety of different styles and types of life jackets that appeal to all ages, with a wide-range of choices for any activity and prices that provide family safety for a reasonable investment. Life jackets should be worn during all water activities, including those popular throughout the fall and winter months, such as boating, fishing and hunting.

Life jacket wear by everyone who is on a boat is the primary goal of the North American Safe Boating Campaign, which kicked off officially with National Safe Boating Week, May 16 – 22, 2009. The North American Safe Boating Campaign unites the efforts of a wide variety of boating safety advocates, including National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA), the Canadian Safe Boating Council and the many members of the National Safe Boating Council. The campaign is produced under a grant from the Sports Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund, administered by the U.S. Coast Guard.

About the National Safe Boating Council
The National Safe Boating Council represents over 330 U.S. and Canadian organizations committed to reducing boating accidents and enhancing the boating experience. Visit www.SafeBoatingCampaign.com for campaign materials and additional safe boating resources.